The white steenbras (Lithognathus lithognathus) is a silvery-white and grey member of the Sparidae family. It is also called pignose grunter, river steenbras, varkbek and ngcangolo in different places around South Africa.
The white steenbras is endemic to South Africa, where it’s found from the Orange River to southern KwaZulu-Natal.
White steenbras are found mainly in the cooler water areas of the Western and Southern Cape, but are found (less frequently) throughout the year as far north-east as Cape St Francis.
From autumn into winter the range extends to southern KZN, sometimes as far north as Durban. The winter distribution coincides with the annual spawning migration up the East Coast these fish undertake.
White steenbras inhabit shallow coastal waters and are often found in estuaries, as they are able to survive for extended periods in almost fresh water.
Juvenile white steenbras (3 to 5cm) make use of estuaries as nursery areas where they remain for the first year of their life, sometimes staying for two years or longer.
White steenbras will enter extremely shallow water, and they are often seen feeding in estuaries with their tails right out of the water.
White steenbras are considered endangered. Stocks of this once-plentiful fish have collapsed due to over-fishing by commercial fisheries using purse-seine nets (up to the 1980s, and trek-netting until this practice was banned in 2002).
The species is now completely de-commercialised. No commercial fishing for white steenbras is allowed, and fish may not be offered for sale. The white steenbras is a SASSI red-listed no-sale species; this means that it is illegal to sell or buy these species anywhere in South Africa.
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