argentine seabass
Acanthistius brasilianus
A shelf grouper of cooler waters, from northeastern to southern Brazil, and also in Uruguay and Argentina. It is commercially fished and its flesh is used.
Also called: garoupa-senhor-de-engenho, senhor-de-engenho, garoupa, serigado-focinhudo, serigado-mero, argentine seabass
- maximum
- 60 cm
- depth
- 15–82 m
who is the argentine seabass
A fish of the family Anthiadidae, up to 60 cm. It lives on the continental shelf, in cooler waters, between 15 and 82 m deep, and sometimes enters brackish water. It occurs in the southwestern Atlantic, from Brazil to Uruguay and Argentina. It is commercially fished, and its flesh is used to some extent for human consumption. It is a bottom fish, and rapid ascent can harm it. It reaches maturity at about 29 cm. In fishing it appears mainly on shelf bottoms, from Bahia to southern Brazil.
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 argentine seabass; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
A perch with a spindle-shaped, relatively sturdy body and a single long dorsal fin whose front part is spiny. It lives on the continental shelf, in cooler waters, from Bahia to southern Brazil, much farther south than the groupers of tropical reefs. Its presence in the cool shelf waters and its restricted distribution in the southwestern Atlantic help identify it.
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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 in the southwestern Atlantic, in waters of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, on the continental shelf.
Habitat: Continental shelf, 15 to 82 m deep, sometimes in brackish water.
coast
rules for the argentine seabass
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.
Harmless to anglers. As it is a bottom fish, rapid ascent can cause barotrauma, so release it carefully.
in the kitchen
Its flesh is used to some extent for human consumption.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01413, b = 3.0; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). 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: Acanthistius brasilianus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Acanthistius brasilianusNames 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.
