Fighting for Reef Fishes

South Africa's False Bay lies at the intersection of two formidable ocean currents – the Agulhas in the east and the Benguela in the west. Warm and cold swirl together to create an ecosystem that hosts one of the planet’s most unique communities of marine life. Before the exploitation of False Bay, a bewildering array of endemic reef fishes were present throughout the bay. Today, many reef fish stocks have collapsed. For fishermen this represents a socio-economic crisis. For scientists and conservationists, the protection of these species is a daunting battle.

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Roman seabream

Colorful reef fish called roman swim in a kelp forest in False Bay, South Africa. Two major ocean currents meet here, spawning some of the most diverse and unique marine life on the planet.

Actinopterygii Africa Animalia Chordata Chrysoblephus laticeps False Bay Perciformes South Africa Sparidae animal aquatic chordate conservation conservation photography dier fish gewervelde kelp forest marien marine nature nature conservation natuur natuurbescherming near threatened oceaan ocean rayfinned fish red roman rocky reef roman roman fish roman nose goby roman seabream saltwater sea sea bream seabream straalvinnige vis underwater vis wild zee zeebrasem zoutwater