The Wreckfish is a giant, impressive deep-water predator belonging to the family Polyprionidae. It is often confused with the grey grouper, but it is a different species with distinct features. The body is high, bulky, and robust, with a very distinctive head bearing a bony ridge on the upper part of the gills that resembles a saw. The colour in adults is dark grey to brown or almost black, while the belly is slightly lighter.

The life cycle of the Wreckfish is divided into two completely different phases. Young individuals are pelagic and live near the surface of the open sea. They have a habit of following floating objects, such as wood, boxes, and even turtles and sharks, in search of protection and food. As they mature, they leave the surface and move to the seabed at great depths ranging from 100 to 1000 metres. They prefer rocky bottoms with intense relief, caves, and especially shipwrecks.

This is one of the largest bony fish in the Mediterranean. It can reach a length of 2 metres and weigh over 100 kilograms. Usually, the fish that are caught weigh between 10 and 40 kilograms.

It is an apex predator of deep waters. It feeds mainly on large fish, cephalopods such as squid, and benthic crustaceans such as lobsters and crabs. It uses its massive mouth to create strong suction and swallow its prey whole.

Fisheries & Economic Value

It is caught almost exclusively by professionals with heavy deep-sea longlines and special deep handlines. The meat is considered exceptional quality, as it is white, fatty, and very delicious, with high commercial value. Due to its habit of living in shipwrecks and caves, fishing for it is difficult and often results in gear loss.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has not evaluated the species in the Mediterranean separately, but global populations are considered to be declining. Scientific studies have shown that it is a long-lived species that can exceed 60 or even 80 years. Slow growth and late sexual maturity, where females mature around 10 to 12 years, make it extremely vulnerable to overfishing. Furthermore, research has shown that young individuals can travel long distances by following ocean currents before settling on a reef.