Appearance and lifestyle:
Fransmadam (Boopsoidea inornata) meaning “French mistress”, is an old Cape name for these fish, possibly referring to the drab dresses worn by early Huguenot women. Juveniles are bright orange. Adults are silvery and they have a bronze sheen. They have a pointed snout, and their mouths are small. They can grow up to 30cm and weigh less than 1 kg. The population of Fransmadams has not been assessed, but a daily bag limit of 10 applies, while there is not restriction on the size of the fish caught.
Habitat:
Endemic to southern Africa, it is a shoaling species that lives around scattered and flat reefs between 5m and 30m deep.
Diet:
Fransmadam feed on red bait, small shells and snails, planktonic crustaceans, worms and seaweeds.
Threats:
Climate change, habitat loss, pollution etc.