Depth
Belone · Bony Fish

Garfish

Belone belone

0-20m
Depth Range
90cm
Max Size
Mediterranean
Distribution
0-20m
Depth Range
90cm
Max Size
Pelagic
Habitat
Carnivore
Diet
Small groups
Social
LC
IUCN Status
Moderate
Sighting Likelihood
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Genus Belone
Species belone

Bony Fish

Identification & Biology

  • IdentificationVery long, slender body with a long, thin beak lined with small teeth. Bright green-blue back and silver flanks. The bones are distinctively green. Single dorsal fin set far back near the tail.
  • SizeUp to 93 cm total length, commonly 40 to 60 cm.
  • Social HabitSchooling species found near the surface. Forms loose aggregations that scatter and leap when disturbed.
  • HabitatSurface waters of coastal and offshore areas. Often seen from the shore as silvery flashes near the surface.
  • DepthSurface to 10 m, almost always in the top few metres.
  • Feeds OnSmall fish, especially sand smelts and young sardines, caught with sideways snaps of the beak.
  • DistributionEastern Atlantic from Iceland to the Canary Islands, including the entire Mediterranean Sea.
  • DescriptionA distinctive surface-dwelling fish with a needle-like beak and bright green bones. Garfish leap spectacularly from the water when hooked or startled, sometimes jumping several metres. Schools are commonly seen from shore in spring and summer. Perfectly edible despite the alarming green colour of their skeleton.

Range

Habitat & Distribution

A pelagic species common in coastal and open surface waters across the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic. Seasonal visitor to shallower coastal areas during warmer months.

Where Malta divers have spotted this species

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Sightings are logged by divers using our What Did You See? dive-log tool. View the full live sightings map.

Detail

Preferred Environment

Found at or just below the surface in clear, open water. Frequently encountered in harbours, over seagrass meadows, and along rocky coastlines during summer months.

Encounter Tips

Best approached slowly and calmly. Avoid casting shadows directly over the animal. Neutral buoyancy and patience increase encounter success significantly.

Garfish species card

Biology

Behaviour & Diet

Feeding Strategy

An agile predator that pursues small fish and fish fry at the surface. Strikes with rapid lateral movements of its elongated beak.

Surface predator

Reproduction

Spawns in shallow coastal waters during spring and summer. Eggs have adhesive filaments that attach to floating vegetation and algae.

Coastal spawner

Behaviour & Defence

Extremely fast swimmer capable of leaping clear of the water when startled. Often skips across the surface in a series of rapid jumps.

Speed & leaping

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Where to Encounter in Malta

Dive sites where Belone belone may be encountered will be added as sighting data is collected.

IUCN Red List Least Concern

Conservation Status

This species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Mediterranean populations face ongoing pressure from fishing activity, habitat degradation, and climate-driven changes.

Source: IUCN Red List
diveshack Mediterranean Marine Life guide