castaneta
Nemadactylus bergi
Bottom fish of the shelf, from Rio de Janeiro to Argentine Patagonia. It is valuable to commercial fishing and seldom shows up on sport lines.
Also called: besugo, besugo blanco, castañeta, breca
- maximum
- 40 cm
- record/max.
- 0.5 kg
who is the castaneta
Trumpeter of the family Latridae that lives on the bottom of the continental shelf, from Rio de Janeiro to Argentine Patagonia, with records also from Uruguay and, in the Pacific, from Chile (Bahía Mansa). In Brazil it occurs from the Southeast to the South. It reaches 39.5 cm and up to 450 g. It is called besugo in Brazil and castañeta in Argentina and Uruguay. It feeds on bottom invertebrates and is exploited by commercial bottom fishing. It has little importance for recreational fishing.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the castaneta; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Fish with an elongated but normally shaped body, with one elongated ray in the pectoral fin. In the same area also lives Nemadactylus macropterus, which has the upper pectoral rays elongated and a broad black band from the nape to the base of the pectoral fin, and reaches 70 cm, while the besugo reaches only 39.5 cm.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
It occurs from Rio de Janeiro to Argentine Patagonia, with records from Uruguay and also from Chile, in the Pacific.
Habitat: Continental shelf bottoms, between southeastern and southern Brazil and Patagonia.
coast
rules for the castaneta
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
The spines are not dangerous. If it is hooked at depth, the ascent causes barotrauma, so release it carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00977, b = 3.02; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Nemadactylus bergi (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Nemadactylus bergiNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
