The Mediterranean Sea is home to both bony fishes—such as groupers and sea breams—and cartilaginous fishes, including sharks and rays. Its marine fauna includes native and non-native species, so no short list of familiar fish can represent the whole sea. A 2021 evidence-based checklist confirmed 759 species, but that is a dated, carefully reviewed count rather than a live total.
What kinds of fish live in the Mediterranean Sea?
“Mediterranean fish” here means marine fish recorded in the sea, not freshwater fish from the wider Mediterranean basin. The marine fauna is varied: fish differ in body structure, where they live, and whether they are native or introduced.
One useful broad distinction is between bony fishes and cartilaginous fishes. Groupers and sea breams are familiar examples of bony fishes; sharks and rays are cartilaginous fishes. These are broad groups, not a complete species list, and the examples should not be taken to mean every fish occurs throughout the basin.
How many fish species are in the Mediterranean?
A 2021 evidence-based checklist confirmed 759 species from 791 previously reported records. Its authors excluded 32 reports that lacked evidence of presence or reflected taxonomic confusion. The figure is a result of that publication’s review and taxonomy, not a current 2026 census. Species totals can change as records are checked and classification is revised. Read the 2021 checklist.
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The total also depends on what is being counted. A 2011 IUCN regional assessment focused on native marine fishes and assessed 513 species and six subspecies; it is not an alternative count of every native and non-native fish currently recorded in the sea. See the IUCN assessment.
Are Mediterranean fish native or introduced?
Both. The 2021 checklist counted 168 non-native fishes, or 22.1% of the known diversity in that checklist. Those figures belong to its date and taxonomic accounting; they should not be treated as a present-day proportion without a newer inventory.
Non-native fish and shifting ranges have several possible routes and drivers. FAO’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) describes movement through the Suez Canal, transport in ships’ ballast water, Atlantic species extending their range, intentional or accidental introductions, and climate change. Some non-native species have become abundant or commercially relevant, and impacts such as competition or habitat displacement have been reported. These effects do not apply to every introduced fish. FAO also notes immediate health risks associated with some fish, including lionfishes and pufferfishes. See FAO GFCM’s regional overview.
Where do different Mediterranean fish live?
For orientation, fish can be grouped by broad setting, though these are explanatory categories rather than a formal classification or a complete ecological inventory.
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- Coastal and rocky-reef fish: Groupers and sea breams are familiar examples of bony fish associated in general descriptions with coastal settings. This overview does not establish a particular species’ range or abundance.
- Open-water schooling fish: Sardines and anchovies are familiar examples of small bony fish. Their mention here is illustrative, not a claim that they are equally common throughout the Mediterranean.
- Bottom-associated fish: Many kinds of fish use the seabed or nearby habitat. The available regional summaries do not support assigning every named species a precise depth, habitat, or distribution.
- Sharks and rays: These cartilaginous fishes are also part of the Mediterranean’s marine fauna; the broad-group evidence does not establish a complete current list or species-by-species status.
What does the fish count say about conservation and fishing?
Species diversity and fishing pressure are different measures. The IUCN’s 2011 regional assessment used Red List methodology to assess 513 native marine fish species and six subspecies. It is a historical baseline, not a current assessment of every Mediterranean fish. Read about the IUCN assessment.
Separately, FAO GFCM’s 2022 State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries report said that 73% of commercial species were still overfished and fishing pressure was twice the level considered sustainable. Those are report-year figures for commercial fisheries, not the threatened share of all fish species and not a current 2026 estimate. Consult the 2022 FAO GFCM report.
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Where can you find a regional fish identification guide?
The IUCN’s 2022 Eastern Mediterranean fish field guide covers 176 species across 89 families and summarizes appearance, environment, behavior, biology, and regional conservation status. Its geographic focus is the Lebanese coast, so it is a useful regional identification resource rather than a guide to the entire Mediterranean. View the IUCN guide record.
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