Asian sheepshead wrasse (Semicossyphus reticulatus)

Species information

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Threats

Although very little is known about the Asian sheepshead wrasse’s population status or the threats facing it, it is thought to be intrinsically vulnerable to overfishing due to its biology (1). The life history characteristics of many wrasses make them particularly vulnerable to fishing because, being long-lived with late onset of maturity and low rates of population growth, they are typically slow to recover from exploitation. Furthermore, sex-changing fish are at risk where fishing targets the largest fish (mostly males), as this can lead to strongly female-biased sex ratios, potentially compromising reproduction through too few males (3).

Conservation

There are no known fishing restrictions within the range of this species, nor marine reserves where fishing is prohibited. However, at some regions in the Japan Sea, spawning adult fish are protected by local divers who wish to attract tourist divers. Crucial research and information is required on the population size and biology of this species before it can be properly assessed by the IUCN (1).