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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.

Comber
Serranus cabrilla
Χάνος

Sustainability Status

Currently considered sustainable

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Good choice – Consumption of this species is currently considered sustainable

Legal

Minimum Size

–

Prohibited Consumption Period

–

Sustainable

Minimum Size

16 cm

Avoid Consumption Period

April – July

Advice for Consumption

Consumption of this species is currently considered sustainable.

Greek legislation does not establish legal minimum size and no closed season, leaving juvenile and spawning fish completely unprotected.

Choose responsibly by respecting sustainable size limits and avoiding consumption during the breeding season.

Archipelagos Tips

Choosing larger, mature fish helps reduce fishing pressure on juvenile individuals.

Common names

FR

Sarran

it

Sciaranno

es

Cabrilla

tr

Hani balığı

pt

Serrano

nl

Zaagbaars

de

Sägebarsch

toxicity

This species is safe to consume.

iucn info

Least concern (LC)

Description

Has a white belly and translucent fins. It has between 7-9 vertical reddish-brown stripes horizontally barred by a lighter band, and 3 brown bands that runs from head to tail. Its morphology is similar to the painted comber. Elongated body, large head, and prominent jaw.

It looks like Serranus scriba (Painted comber), it has a very similar in appearance to Serranus cabrilla. Both have a similar body shape and size, and they inhabit similar rocky and grassy areas. However, Serranus scriba often displays more prominent vertical bands and a distinct pattern of blue markings, particularly on its head.

Did you know?

Combers are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat anything that is availible to them, though their main food source is crustaceans!

Ecological Aspects

Diet

Carnivorous.
Feeds on fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans.

habitat

Benthopelagic.
Found on the shelf and upper slope on rocks, sand and mud bottoms.

Max size & depth range

Max length: 40 cm
Max weight: 372 g
Depth range: 5-500 m

breeding & Growth

Simultaneous hermaphrodite (can be male or female depending on the period). Batch spawner, spawning between April through July.
Growth rate: Slow-moderate (k = 0.205yr⁻¹).

Longevity & presence

Lifespan: 5-7 years
Max reported age: 11 years
Distribution: Mediterranean, Eastern Atlantic, and Western Black Sea. Possibly in the Red Sea.

appearance changes

–

Reproductive Cycle

Egg count: 1,200-22,072 eggs
Reproductive frequency: Numerous times throughout the spawning season.
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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