White steenbras

{{Short description|Species of fish from South Africa}} {{Speciesbox | name = White steenbras | image = Lithognathus lithognathus.jpg | range_map_caption = White steenbras distribution {{leftlegend|#4271ae|Extant (resident)}} | status = EN | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=Bennett, R. |author2=Mann, B.Q. |author3=Lamberth, S.J. |year=2025 |title=''Lithognathus lithognathus'' |volume=2025 |article-number=e.T12137A263072030 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-2.RLTS.T12137A263072030.en |access-date=29 November 2025}}</ref> | genus = Lithognathus | species = lithognathus | authority = ([[Georges Cuvier|Cuvier]], 1829) | range_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|from=White steenbras range.map}} | synonyms = {{species list|Lithognathus capensis |Swainson, 1839 |Pagellus lithognathus |(Cuvier, 1829) |Pagrus lithognathus |Cuvier, 1829}} }}

The '''white steenbras''' (''Lithognathus lithognathus'') is a species of [[fish]] in the family [[Sparidae]]<ref>{{Fishbase |Lithognathus|lithognathus |id=450}}</ref> [[Endemism|endemic]] to [[South Africa]].<ref name=IUCN/> Due to [[overfishing]], primarily by [[Seine fishing|seine netting operations]] in [[False Bay]], the white steenbras is now endangered and is about to become a 'no keep' species in South Africa. Massive breeding shoals are [[Illegal fishing|illegally]] wiped out by beach seine netters each year,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/environment/were-officers-at-illegal-trek-net-1.1544321#.UlV2KxA7mEw|title=Were officers at ‘illegal’ trek-net?|author=John Yeld|website=iol.co.za}}</ref> with the authorities doing little to prevent this.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.districtmail.com/articles/articledetails.aspx?id=72796|title= Public vow to stop illegal white steenbras hauls being made by beach seine netters|work=District Mail}}{{dead link|fix-attempted=yes|date=November 2025}}</ref> The species was identified as a priority for research, management and conservation in a National Linefish Status Report.<ref>{{cite thesis |degree=PhD |last=Bennett |first=Rhett Hamilton |date= 2012 |title=Movement patterns, stock delineation and conservation of an overexploited fishery species, ''Lithognathus lithognathus'' (Pisces: Sparidae) |publisher=Rhodes University |url=http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015709 |location= Grahamstown|hdl=10962/d1015709 }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Lithognathus|White steenbras]] [[Category:Marine fish of South Africa]] [[Category:Endemic fish of South Africa]] [[Category:Fish described in 1829|white steenbras]] [[Category:Taxa named by Georges Cuvier|white steenbras]] [[Category:Taxa named by Georges Cuvier]]