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Exhibit
See the Galjoen at Two Oceans Aquarium in this exhibit:
Galjoen Dichistius capensis
Photograph by Dagny Warmerdam
Fast facts
- Conservation status: Conservation Dependent
- National fish of South Africa
- Catches are limited as this is a threatened species
- Listed Red (no sale) on SASSI’s Consumer Seafood List (see www.wwfsassi.co.za
The galjoen is the national fish of South Africa. Although it’s not very good-looking, it belongs to a family of fish which are found only off our coastline and so we’re proud of it!
Sadly, our national fish is fast disappearing – it has been overfished and is now listed as Red by SASSI (Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative).
Recreational anglers may only catch two galjoen (minimum size = 35cm) per day between 1 March and 14 October each year. They are not allowed to sell their catch.
From our blog:
Conservation spotlight: Three Aquarium species that are under threat