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Leopard catshark
Although they prefer the shallow coastal waters of the southern and western Cape, leopard catsharks live at depths up to 250m off the Eastern Cape.
Maasbanker (horse mackerel)
Maasbanker occur in large shoals and are trawled from the ocean depths during the day. At night they come to the surface to feed on plankton, which they strain from the water using their gill rakers.
They are an important food source for humans as well as dolphins, tuna, yellowtail and various seabirds.
SASSI status: Green
White stumpnose
White stumpnose are an endemic southern African coastal species found in large shoals.
Juveniles use estuaries as nursery areas. Minimum legal catch size is 20 cm.
Dageraad
Ichthyologist Margaret Smith said that, when adult dageraad die, they are ‘the most beautiful of all creatures, as waves of different colours pass over the body’. ‘Dageraad’ is Dutch for ‘dawn’.
SASSI status: Red - Don’t buy or sell dageraad! Rather choose a green-listed species.
Spotted gully shark
The spotted gully shark is a small grey-brown shark covered in small, irregularly spaced black spots which become more prominent as the shark ages.
Yellowbelly rockcod
Large adults have been spotted in the deep canyons off Sodwana Bay where coelacanths were found. Slow-growing fish and can live up to 24 years.
SASSI status: Red - Don´t buy or sell yellowbelly rockcod! Rather choose a green-listed species.
Red steenbras (copper steenbras)
Many fishermen have stories to tell about this species. Red steenbras is one of the most popular species amongst anglers because it can be caught on just about any bait and puts up a good fight. A few decades ago these fish were plentiful, but due to their popularity, they have declined in numbers.
Although red steenbras is excellent to eat, its liver contains a toxic level of Vitamin A.
SASSI: Red—Don’t buy or sell red steenbras! Rather choose a green-listed species.
Tiger reef eel
Tiger reef eels are found in reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans | Two Oceans Aquarium
Sea anemones
Sea anemones are carnivorous, stinging polyps that spend most of their time attached to rocks on the sea floor or on coral reefs.
Sea pens
Sea pens are so named for their resemblance to an old-fashioned quill pen.
Sea fans
Sea fans are composed of numerous polyps that grow together in a flat, fanlike pattern.
Blue-ringed octopus
The blue-ringed octopus is renowned for being one of the world’s most venomous marine animals, despite reaching a maximum of 10 cm in size.