Red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) is a saltwater species recorded in the United States. It is found at depths of 0–250 m.
Scientific name: Pagrus pagrus · Water: Saltwater
Size: up to 91 cm
The red porgy is a benthopelagic sparid found over rock, rubble or sand bottoms, with the young frequently on seagrass beds and the continental shelf, and it is recorded from the surface down to about 250 m, often above 150 m. It feeds on crustaceans, fishes and mollusks, and it is marketed fresh and frozen. Its range is the eastern Atlantic, from the Strait of Gibraltar to about 15 degrees north including Madeira and the Canary Islands, the Mediterranean and northward to the British Isles, and the western Atlantic from New York and the northern Gulf of Mexico to Argentina, including the continental coast of the Caribbean Sea. Maximum length is about 91 cm total length, commonly about 35 cm standard length, and it can live 26 years, maturing at about 26.6 cm. It is a commercial species, a commercial aquaculture species, a gamefish and a public aquarium fish, with a very high price category. Fishing vulnerability is high at 58 of 100 and resilience medium, and climate vulnerability is moderate to high at 51 of 100. IUCN lists it as least concern.
Caution: large individuals carry a ciguatera risk. Heat, cold and marinating do not remove the toxin, which concentrates in the liver, roe and head, so avoid eating those parts. Seek medical help if numbness, tingling or a reversed sense of hot and cold follows a meal.
Back to home · United States · Species library