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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.

European barracuda
Sphyraena sphyraena
Λούτσος

Sustainability Status

Currently considered sustainable

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Help us protect our seas by reporting illegal or undersized fish that you see in markets, restaurants or fishing boats
Good choice – Consumption of this species is currently considered sustainable

Legal

Minimum Size

–

Prohibited Consumption Period

–

Sustainable

Minimum Size

28 cm

Avoid Consumption Period

May – July

Advice for Consumption

Consumption of this species is currently considered sustainable.

Greek legislation does not establish a minimum landing size or a closed season for this species, leaving both juvenile and spawning fish completely unprotected. Respect minimum sustainable size limits and do not consume during its breeding season.

Choose sustainable seafood!

Archipelagos Tips

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

Common names

FR

Barracuda

it

Barracuda

es

Espetón

tr

Iskarmoz

pt

Bicuda

nl

Zeesnoek

de

Pfeilhecht

toxicity

This species is safe to consume.

iucn info

Least concern (LC)

Description

It has a yellowish-grey dorsal part and elongated body. The caudal fin is yellow. The pectoral fin reach the base of the pelvic fin. It also has black vertical stripes.

It looks like Sphyraena viridensis (Yellowmouth barracuda), characterized by its elongated, fusiform body and is often found in the same waters as Sphyraena sphyraena. It can be distinguished by its well-developed lateral line and the presence of 20-22 dark transversal bands on its flanks, though these may be diffused.

Did you know?

Scientists are able to identify and track individual barracudas from their complex patterning, which much like human fingerprints differs between each individual!

Ecological Aspects

Diet

Carnivorous.
Feeds mostly on fish, less often on cephalopods and crustaceans.

habitat

Pelagic.
Found in coastal and offshore waters.

Max size & depth range

Max length: 165 cm
Max weight: 3.6 kg
Depth range: 0-100 m

breeding & Growth

They are gonochoristic, meaning they have distinct, separate male and female sexes throughout their lives, with females generally growing larger than males. In the Mediterranean Sea it has a breeding season spanning from April to August.
Growth rate: Slow (k = 0.12yr⁻¹).

Longevity & presence

Lifespan: 3-5 years
Max reported age: 8 years
Distribution: Bay of Biscay to Mossamedes, Angola, including the Mediterranean and Black Sea, Canary Islands and Azores.

appearance changes

As they mature, their coloration shifts to a metallic, yellowish-grey or silvery back with a bright, chalky-white belly. Adults develop about 20–22 dark vertical stripes along their backs which fade before reaching the lower flank. The shape of the tail fin also changes with age.

Reproductive Cycle

Females typically release between 45,000 and 300,000 eggs per season. Because they are batch spawners, females do not lay all their eggs at once. Instead, they spawn multiple times per 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