Wreckfish

Photo: Marleen Schouten · CC BY-NC

Solitary wreckfish — deep-bodied, slow-growing Atlantic predators that can live over 70 years — hold station in the deeper channels and around submerged boulder arches at the Berlengas, a habitat preference linked to their affinity for structural complexity. They are among the largest bony fish regularly encountered by recreational divers in European Atlantic waters, with individuals reaching 100 kilograms in protected areas. The species' recovery in the Berlengas reflects decades of protection under the reserve's fishing restrictions.