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🌊 Marine Least Concern 🍽️ Edible 🎣 Game Fish 🌡️ Subtropical

Surmullet

Mullus surmuletus Linnaeus, 1758
Max Length
40 cm
Max Weight
1.0 kg
Lifespan
11 yrs
Trophic Level
3.5
Depth
5–409 m
Climate
Subtropical
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
42.00/100
Typical Length
25 cm
Depth Zone
demersal

📖 Overview

Adults occur on broken and rough grounds but also found over sand and soft bottoms at depths less than 100 m. Depth range from 5-60 m and from 305-409 m in the eastern Ionian Sea . Feed on benthic organisms such as shrimps and amphipods, polychaetes, mollusks, and benthic fishes. Spawning occurs from May to July, eggs and larvae are pelagic . Marketed fresh and frozen for steaming, pan-frying, broiling and baking .

Scientific Name
Mullus surmuletus
Authority
Linnaeus, 1758
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Subtropical
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
40 cm
Max Weight
1 kg
Lifespan
11 years
Depth Range
5–409 m
Trophic Level
3.5
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
42.00/100
Migration
Oceanodromous
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Head is less steep. Barbels longer than pectoral fin. Body with longitudinal red and brown stripes. First dorsal fin with dark markings .: fusiform / normal.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Surmullet is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

aquatic invertebrates
small fish
algae
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

Size at Maturity
16.1cm TL

A determinate spawner .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; demersal; oceanodromous ; depth range 5 - 409 m . Subtropical; 62°N - 14°N, 19°W - 42°E North Sea) to Dakar, Senegal and the Canary Islands, including the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine ⬇️ Benthic
Migration
Oceanodromous
Trophic Level
3.5±0.3
Food Items

benthic organisms such as shrimps and amphipods, polychaetes, mollusks, and benthic fishes

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00912 × L3.11 (TL)
Max TL
40cm
Max Weight
1,000g

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2014

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Low
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
42.00/100
Moderate vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.5
Predator
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Described By
Linnaeus, 1758

🎣 Angling Guide

Difficulty
Beginner
Fight Rating
strong pulls with head-shakes
Best Seasons
spring,summer,fall
Best Time
incoming tide, dawn and dusk
Line Weight
15-30
Rod Type
medium-heavy spinning
Hook Size
2/0-5/0
Catch & Release
✓ Recommended
Best Months
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Techniques
bottom fishing popping cork soft plastics live bait
Bait & Lures
live shrimp cut mullet soft plastic paddle-tails popping corks
Recommended Tackle
  • medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
  • 30-50 lb braid
  • fluorocarbon leader
Where to Find Them
  • grass flats
  • oyster bars
  • marsh drains
  • deeper channel edges
Tips & Tricks
Popping cork technique attracts fish from distance. Fish moving tides.
Catch & Release Tips

Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.

Regulations Summary

⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.

🍽️ Edibility & Flavour

"Surmullet is an edible species."

✗ Not for Raw
✓ Fresh Indicators
  • Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
  • Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
  • Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
  • Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
  • Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
✗ Avoid If
  • Cloudy or sunken eyes
  • Strong fishy or ammonia odour
  • Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
  • Discoloured or dry flesh
Best Cooking Methods
Baking Grilling Pan-frying

⚡ Nutrition

Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central

Nutrient Amount
Protein 19.1 g
Omega-3 (total) 824 mg

🔬 Mercury Safety

Mercury data for Surmullet has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.

🌿 Sustainability

Best Choice
Healthy stocks, low impact
Good Alternative
Well-managed, minor concerns
Use Caution
Check sourcing and season
Avoid
Overfished or high impact
✓ Sustainable Choice

🔬 Full Nutritional Profile

Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)

Proximate Composition
Energy125 kcal
Moisture75 %
Protein20 %
Total Fat4 %
Ash1.3 %
Fatty Acids (g)
Saturated Fat1 g
Monounsaturated Fat1.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat1.5 g
Omega-3 Total1 g
EPA0.3 g
DHA0.5 g
Omega-6 Total0.3 g
Key Minerals & Vitamins
Calcium20 mg
Iron0.7 mg
Magnesium30 mg
Phosphorus220 mg
Potassium380 mg
Sodium55 mg
Zinc0.5 mg
Selenium32 µg
Vitamin B122 µg

📊 Population Dynamics

Year Region Index Notes
- - -

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Red Stripped Mullet · Red mullet · Striped red mullet · Surmullet · Surmullet, Striped Red Mullet · Woodcock Of The Sea · goatfish · mallette
🇸🇦Arabic بربونى
🌍ARG Salmonet roquero
🌍BRE Meilh ruz karreg
🏳️Catalan moll borratxo · moll de roca
🌍CES parmice pruhovaná
🌍COS treglia di scogliu
🌍CYM Mingrynion · mingrwn
🇩🇰Danish Stribet mulle · mulle
🇩🇪German Meerbarbe · Streifenbarbe · gestreifte Meerbarbe
🌍ELL Μπαρμπούνι · Τρίγλη η μυστακοφόρος
🌍EUS belberiña · haitzetako barbarina
🇫🇮Finnish Keltajuovamullo · Mullo · Suolatu kuivattu kalanmäti
🇫🇷French Rouget Barbet · Rouget de roche · Rouget surmulet · Rouget-barbet · Rouget-barbet de roche · surmulet
🌍GLE An milléad dearg
🌍GLG Salmonete de rocha
🌍HEB מולית הפסים · מולית פסים
🇭🇷Croatian Trlja kamenjarka
🇭🇺Hungarian sávos vörösmárna
🌍ISL Sæskeggur
🇮🇹Italian Triglia · Triglia di scoglio · treggia de rocca · triglia di scogliu
🌍LIT Viduržemio jūros barzdotė
🌍MLT Trilja · Trilja hadra · Trilja tal-faxxi · Trilja tal-faxxi sofor · Trilja tal-qawwi · Trill
🇳🇱Dutch Gestreepte rode mul · Koning van de poon · Mul · gestreepte zeebarbeel · mul, koning van de poon
🌍NNO mulle
🌍NOB mulle
🇳🇴Norwegian Mulle
🇵🇱Polish Barwena
🇵🇹Portuguese Ovas secas · Salmonete legitimo · Salmonete-do-rolo · Salmonete-legítimo · Salmonete-vermelho · salmonete
🌍RON Barbun vargat
🇷🇺Russian Барабуля полосатая · Полосатая барабуля
🌍SLV Progasti bradač
🇪🇸Spanish Salmonete · Salmonete de roca · Salmonete de roche
🌍SQI Barbuni i shkembit · barbuni me shirita
🌍SRP Trlje · Trlje odkamena
🇸🇪Swedish Gulstrimmig mullus · Mulle · gulstrimmig barb · gulstrimmig mulle · rödmulle · strimmig röd mullus · surmulet
🌍TUR Barbunya · Nil barbunyasi · Tekir
🌍UKR Барабуля смугаста

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 56 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

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