European sea bass

Photo: Jofre · CC BY-NC

The European sea bass is a powerful, streamlined predator of the Mediterranean and Atlantic, forming small hunting groups along walls, in current-swept channels, and at the edges of posidonia beds. At Ile de Riou, schools of several dozen fish are seen most frequently in winter and early spring, when cooler, clearer water concentrates prey against the island's rocky margins. Their presence indicates a healthy prey base of small fish and crustaceans and a low level of fishing pressure — consistent with the national park protection.