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fishing forecast

peruvian sea catfish

Galeichthys peruvianus · Ariidae · omnivore

Sea catfish of the Peruvian coast, with a silver or reddish band along the body. It has spines that wound, and its flesh is sold fresh.

Also called: bagre-de-faixa, bagre con faja, peruvian sea catfish

Scientific illustration of Peruvian sea catfish
maximum
35 cm
location

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period

Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…

the species

everything about the peruvian sea catfish

overview

who is the peruvian sea catfish

Fish of the family Ariidae, a slender catfish that lives near the bottom in marine and coastal waters of Peru. Its head and body are slim and taper backward, with a long, narrow caudal peduncle, and the species reaches 35 cm total length. A silver or reddish band runs along the flank. Part of the catch goes to fresh markets and part is made into fishmeal. The fin spines wound anyone handling it, and for the sport angler it is an occasional catch.

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 peruvian sea catfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.

how to recognize it

identification

Slender, elongated, scaleless catfish, with a slim head and a body tapering backward. The tail has pointed lobes, with the upper one longer, and a narrow peduncle. The most striking mark is the silver-to-reddish band running along the flank. Other sea catfish of Peru have a similar body, so telling them apart requires detailed examination.

distribution

where found

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It occurs in the southeast Pacific, off the coast of Peru, in marine and coastal waters, near the bottom.

Habitat: Near the bottom, in marine and coastal waters of the Peruvian coast.

what the law says

rules for the peruvian sea catfish

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.

The fin spines cause wounds: use a cloth or glove, remove the hook with pliers, and release the fish with care.

in the kitchen

The flesh is sold fresh, and part of the catch goes to fishmeal.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01072, b = 2.92; 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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Galeichthys peruvianus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Galeichthys peruvianusNames by country and language.
don't confuse

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