Sea Bream

Where it lives

Gilthead sea bream inhabit coastal waters from the British Isles south to Senegal and throughout the Mediterranean and Black Sea. They prefer shallow waters over seagrass meadows, sandy bottoms, and rocky reefs from the intertidal down to 30 m. Juveniles tolerate estuaries and coastal lagoons.

How to recognise it

A deep, oval, silvery body with a slight pinkish flush. The defining mark is a brilliant golden band that runs across the forehead between the eyes — the “gilthead” of the name. A dark blotch sits at the upper edge of the gill cover. The mouth is small with powerful crushing teeth.

Diet & behavior

Sea bream specialize in hard-shelled prey — mussels, cockles, crabs, and sea urchins — crushed by their molar-like back teeth. They are protandrous hermaphrodites, maturing first as males and becoming female with age.

Fisheries & Conservation

Globally Least Concern. Mediterranean cage aquaculture now produces hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sea bream per year, alongside European sea bass.