Browse animals
Leervis (garrick) Lichia amia
Fast facts
- Readily identified by the wavy black lateral line on its body
- Fast swimmer
- Listed as Red (illegal to buy or sell) on SASSI Customer Seafood List
Leervis occur in the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic and along the South African coastline from the Cape up to Maputo.
Their silver, leathery skins and tiny scales give them a scale-less appearance.
They can be readily identified by the wavy black lateral line on their bodies.
Leervis are fast-swimming fish with torpedo-shaped bodies. They are stealthy hunters and often hunt in packs in the surf zone by herding their prey into rocky gullies. They prey on smaller fish species such as sardines, mullet and anchovies.
They can grow to 2m in length and up to 50kg in weight.
They are currently listed as a red species on SASSI’s Customer Seafood List, which means it is illegal to buy or sell these fish in South Africa.