barred knifejaw
Oplegnathus fasciatus
Deep-bodied fish with dark bands, from shallow rocky reefs, caught on rod and also farmed. Its main range is the northwest Pacific, with a record from Chile.
Also called: sargo-faixado, sargo, barred knifejaw
- maximum
- 80 cm
- record/max.
- 6.4 kg
- depth
- 1–10 m
who is the barred knifejaw
The barred knifejaw is a reef fish of the family Oplegnathidae, with a short, deep body. It lives on shallow rocky coastal reefs, between 1 and 10 m deep, and has a benthopelagic habit, meaning it stays near the bottom but also rises into the water column. It reaches 80 cm and 6.4 kg. It is commercially fished, farmed in aquaculture and targeted by rod anglers. In Latin America it is recorded from Chile, but its main range is the northwest Pacific. It has been introduced to the Mediterranean.
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 barred knifejaw.
fun facts
- Juveniles associate with drifting algae near reefs.
identification
A fish with a short, deep body and dark bands crossing the body, as the name suggests. Adults live on shallow rocky reefs, from 1 to 10 m. Juveniles associate with drifting algae near reefs. The short, deep shape is the first sign for recognizing it, and the dark bands complete the identification.
Loading the next 7 days…
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
In Latin America, the species is recorded from Chile, but its main range is the northwest Pacific, in Japan, Korea and Taiwan, as well as Hawaii. It has been introduced to the Mediterranean.
Habitat: Rocky coastal reefs, 1 to 10 m deep.
rules for the barred knifejaw
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
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.
Not dangerous. Release it carefully, without squeezing the body, and use pliers to remove the hook.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01995, b = 3.01; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
—
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: Oplegnathus fasciatus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Oplegnathus fasciatusNames by country and language.