English
Scientific name: Mullus surmuletus
Unlike the mud mullet it has the first dorsal fin has dark longitudinal bands and the snout inclined whereas the first dorsal fin of M. Barbatus is colourless and the the snout is almost vertical. Considered a delicious fish since ancient times, it is suitable to be cooked in many ways and is therefore included in many classic and regional recipes.
Characteristics
The red mullet has beautiful red-orange and yellow coloured scales and long white barbels, which serve to identify the food in the sediment. The colour varies in shades from red to pink and brown or orange. On average, the length of the mullet is around 20-25 cm but it can reach 40 cm per 1 kg of weight. The minimum length for marketing, set by Reg. EC 1967/2006 is 11 cm. The body is pink-silver.
Habitat
It lives in shallow waters with rocks and layers of sand and gravel. The adult is often solitary while the young often move in small shoals. It is fished with trammel nets and trawler nets from fishing boats at a depth ranging from 10 to 50 metres. The end of summer and the beginning of autumn is the ideal period for fishing since it follows the period of reproduction and consequently it is found in large quantities. Sports fishermen and tourists love to fish this fish that is easy to catch when fishing from the rocks.
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