The Sand Steenbras is one of the most recognisable and beloved fish of the Sparidae family. The body is elongated and silver with a high back and a flat belly. Its most characteristic feature is the 10 to 15 thin, dark vertical stripes that run across its sides, resembling those of a zebra. These stripes offer excellent camouflage on the sandy seabeds where it lives by breaking the outline of its body.

The head is long and ends in a characteristic pointed snout. Its mouth is thick and fleshy, extending outward like a tube to allow it to search for food in the sand.

It represents the queen of shallow sandy waters. It lives almost exclusively on sandy or muddy bottoms and Posidonia meadows usually in very shallow waters from a few centimetres down to 20 metres deep, although it can descend to 80 or 150 metres. It frequents areas near beaches and river estuaries where it forms small or large schools.

The common length of capture is 15 to 30 centimetres. However, it can reach a maximum length of 55 centimetres and a weight that exceeds 1 kilogram.

The Sand Steenbras is a protandrous hermaphrodite species. This means that the fish reach sexual maturity first, usually as males at the age of 2 years, which is approximately 14 centimetres. Later in their lives, between the ages of 4 and 7, many of them change sex and become female. Breeding takes place during the warm months from spring until autumn, with a peak in the summer.

Fisheries & Economic Value

It is an extremely popular catch for recreational fishers, especially when surfcasting from the shore. It is also caught professionally with nets and longlines. The meat is white, tender, and extremely delicious, with high commercial value.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the Sand Steenbras as a species of Least Concern. Scientific studies have highlighted its important ecological role through bioturbation. As it constantly digs into the seabed to feed, it oxygenates the sediment and influences the distribution of other organisms. Furthermore, research has shown that females tend to be larger than males and that sex change does not occur in all individuals in the population.