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Evileye puffers are found in the Indo-West Pacific, mainly along continental shores from Maputo to False Bay.

Adult moonies live in rivers, estuaries and harbours whereas juveniles are common in freshwater or estuaries, in seagrass or algae beds. The round moony is less common off the South African south coast than the oval moony.

Both species do well in aquariums.

Grow to a size of between 20 and 25cm.

Moonies are at home in fresh water and salt water. They occur in large shoals in rivers, estuaries, harbours and in the sea from Tanzania to the Breë River (also reported from Madagascar) and are common off the South African south coast. They are active at night and feed on shrimp and small crabs.

They are sometimes called kite fish because of their shape.

Maasbanker occur in large shoals and are trawled from the ocean depths during the day. At night they come to the surface to feed on plankton, which they strain from the water using their gill rakers.

They are an important food source for humans as well as dolphins, tuna, yellowtail and various seabirds.

SASSI status: Green

White stumpnose are an endemic southern African coastal species found in large shoals.

Juveniles use estuaries as nursery areas. Minimum legal catch size is 20 cm.

Ichthyologist Margaret Smith said that, when adult dageraad die, they are ‘the most beautiful of all creatures, as waves of different colours pass over the body’. ‘Dageraad’ is Dutch for ‘dawn’.

SASSI status: Red - Don’t buy or sell dageraad! Rather choose a green-listed species.

Large adults have been spotted in the deep canyons off Sodwana Bay where coelacanths were found. Slow-growing fish and can live up to 24 years.

SASSI status: Red - Don´t buy or sell yellowbelly rockcod! Rather choose a green-listed species.

Many fishermen have stories to tell about this species. Red steenbras is one of the most popular species amongst anglers because it can be caught on just about any bait and puts up a good fight. A few decades ago these fish were plentiful, but due to their popularity, they have declined in numbers.

Although red steenbras is excellent to eat, its liver contains a toxic level of Vitamin A.

SASSI: Red—Don’t buy or sell red steenbras! Rather choose a green-listed species.

The blue-ringed octopus is renowned for being one of the world’s most venomous marine animals, despite reaching a maximum of 10 cm in size.

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