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Fish4Life provides everything you need to enjoy seafood responsibly. Explore information and practical tips for safe and sustainable seafood consumption, and help protect marine life by reporting undersized or illegally traded seafood.

Garfish
Belone belone
Ζαργάνα

Sustainability Status

Key predator controlling invasive pufferfish

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Fishstocks – Declining due to overexploitation
Bad choice –Consumption of this species is unsustainable

Legal

Minimum Size

–

Prohibited Consumption Period

–

Sustainable

Minimum Size

45 cm

Avoid Consumption Period

Year round

Advice for Consumption

Do Not Consume.
For the time being, it is recommended to avoid consuming this species, as it is one of the few natural predators of invasive pufferfish (Lagocephalus spp.).

Greek legislation does not establish a minimum landing size or a closed season for this species, leaving both juvenile and spawning fish completely unprotected.

The populations of this species are overfished. By choosing not to consume it, you can help its populations recover while supporting one of the few natural predators that help control invasive pufferfish (Lagocephalus spp.).

Common names

FR

Aiguillette

it

Aguglia

es

Aguja

tr

Zargana

pt

Peixe-agulha

nl

Geep

de

Grünknochen

toxicity

This species is safe to consume.

iucn info

Least concern (LC)

Description

Highly elongated body with truncated caudal fin. Jaw teeth comparatively large and widely spaced. Vomerine teeth present at lengths greater than 20 cm. Lower jaw a little longer than upper jaw. Juveniles have a greatly elongated jaw, without a black posterior dorsal fin lobe.

It looks like Platybelone argalus (Keel Godwit), Tylosurus imperialis (Agajon) and Hemiramphus balao (Little needle).

Did you know?

The garfish has bluish‑green bones!

Ecological Aspects

Diet

Carnivorous.
Feeds on small fishes, particularly clupeids and Engraulis (in the Black Sea).

habitat

Pelagic-oceanic.
They swim in open water and near the surface.

Max size & depth range

Max length: 104 cm
Max weight: 1.4 kg
Depth range: 2-22 m

breeding & Growth

Their breeding season typically peaks during the spring and summer. Spawning occurs in shallow, coastal waters over submerged vegetation, where females anchor sticky eggs to plants using long tendrils. Moderate growth rater per year.
Growth rate: Slow-moderate (k = 0.25 yr⁻¹).

Longevity & presence

Lifespan: 3-8 years
Max reported age: 8 years
Distribution: Eastern Atlantic, Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

appearance changes

When they became adult, they undergo a jaw transformation, transitioning through a “halfbeak” stage.

Reproductive Cycle

A female produces between 1,000 and 48,000 eggs and spawn between 3 and 12 times a year.
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If you’d like to learn more about the work of the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation, please visit our website: https://archipelago.gr/

Good choice – Consumption of this species is currently considered sustainable

Illegal species – Fishing, selling and consumption of this species is illegal

Fishstocks – Declining due to overexploitation

Think before you eat – This species faces increasing pressures and should only be consumed responsibly

Bad choice – Consumption of this species is unsustainable

Health concerns –
Can accumulate dangerously high levels of toxic substances harmful to health

Alien / Invasive – This species is not from this region and can have a negative impact on the ecosystem and threaten local biodiversity, so it is sustainable to eat

Aquafarms – You will commonly find this species coming from aquafarms