The Complete List of Fish of Israel

Israel’s coastlines, coastal lagoons and inland waterways support a surprising mix of marine and freshwater species shaped by the Mediterranean, occasional Red Sea migrants and local habitats. From shallow rock pools to sandy bottoms and estuaries, different fish show up depending on season and water type.

There are 61 Fish of Israel, ranging from Black goby to Yellowstripe goatfish. For each species you’ll find below Scientific name, Israeli range & habitat, Max length (cm), so you can quickly see distribution, typical habitat and size—just scroll to the list you’ll find below.

Which species are most likely to be seen along Israel’s Mediterranean shore?

Common coastal records tend to be small, resident species that prefer rocky reefs, sandy bottoms or nearshore seagrass; look for shore favorites in the list labeled with Mediterranean ranges and shallow habitats. Migrants and occasional visitors are noted separately in the Israeli range & habitat column, so scanning that field helps distinguish regular residents from rare arrivals.

How should I use the Max length (cm) and scientific names when identifying fish?

Use the scientific name to avoid confusion from local common names, then compare observed size to the Max length (cm) to rule out unlikely matches; habitat notes (e.g., reef, lagoon, estuary) further narrow possibilities, making identification faster and more reliable.

Fish of Israel

Images and Descriptions

Gilthead seabream

Popular edible fish with a deep body and golden forehead; common along Israel’s Mediterranean coast and estuaries, prized by anglers and fisheries, often farmed and eaten fresh or grilled.

European seabass

A silvery, prized sport and table fish found along Israel’s Mediterranean shore and estuaries; migratory and often targeted by recreational fishers, farmed elsewhere but fished wild locally.

Red mullet

Small, pinkish groundfish with distinctive barbels used to probe sand; a tasty, common catch in Israeli Mediterranean waters and valued in local cuisine.

Striped red mullet

Similar to red mullet but with stripes; found along Israel’s coast on mixed substrates, popular in markets and kitchens for its firm, flavorful flesh.

Common pandora

Silver-pink sea bream frequenting nearshore rocky areas; edible and commonly caught, recognizable by its rounded body and hardy appetite.

Dentex

Large, predatory seabream with strong teeth; an impressive game fish around Israeli reefs and offshore shoals, sought after by anglers and valued as food.

Dusky grouper

Heavy, mottled reef predator often sheltering in caves; slow-growing and vulnerable to overfishing, locally protected in some areas and a prized table fish.

European conger

Large, powerful eel inhabiting rocky holes and deeper waters off Israel; occasionally caught by anglers, can reach very large sizes and is not commonly eaten.

Mediterranean moray

Elongate eel-like predator hiding in crevices along Israel’s rocky coastlines; occasionally seen by divers, can bite if provoked and is not a common food fish.

Common sole

Flat, bottom-dwelling fish with fine taste valued in cuisine; occurs off Israel’s Mediterranean coast on soft substrates and is fished commercially and recreationally.

European anchovy

Small schooling forage fish very common off Israel’s coast; central to local fisheries and food webs, canned or salted for human consumption.

European pilchard (sardine)

Pelagic, oily schooling fish abundant seasonally off Israel; an important food and bait species, often canned or eaten fresh.

Mediterranean horse mackerel

A schooling pelagic fish common off Israel used as bait and for consumption; spotted along coastal waters and often caught by trawlers and recreational fishers.

Flathead mullet

Large, silvery mullet frequenting Israel’s coast and brackish estuaries; valued locally for food and found in both marine and brackish freshwater habitats.

White seabream

Common nearshore bream with silvery sides and dark bands; frequent in Israeli waters, popular with shore anglers and edible.

Two-banded seabream

Smaller bream with two dark bands; common on Israel’s rocky reefs and shorelines, easily spotted by divers and eaten locally.

Comber

Small, mottled serranid common on rocky reefs; a shy predator often seen by divers, occasionally taken by anglers and eaten.

Black goby

Small bottom-dweller common in Israeli estuaries and sheltered bays; not targeted commercially but a ubiquitous part of nearshore ecosystems.

Ornate wrasse

Colorful wrasse frequenting Israeli reefs; known to follow divers and change color with age and sex, not commercially important but popular with divers.

Common barracuda

Long, predatory fish visiting Israeli waters seasonally; prized by sport fishers and occasionally eaten if prepared properly to avoid parasites.

Bluefish

Pelagic predator that arrives in shoals along Israel’s coast; strong fighting fish, edible but oily, and sought after by anglers.

Greater amberjack

Large, powerful pelagic predator seen off Israel’s deeper reefs; a valued sport and table fish, often caught by boat anglers.

Blue-spotted cornetfish

Long, tubular-bodied Lessepsian migrant originally from the Red Sea; increasingly common off Israel’s Mediterranean shores and notable for its unusual shape.

Rivulated rabbitfish

Herbivorous Lessepsian rabbitfish now common in Israel’s eastern Mediterranean; can form dense populations and alter local algal communities; edible but bony.

Lurid rabbitfish

Smaller Lessepsian rabbitfish with dark spots; established along Israel’s Mediterranean shore and known for rapid range expansion and grazing impacts.

Devil firefish (Lionfish)

Venomous spiny predator native to the Red Sea, now established in the Mediterranean off Israel; poses ecological concern but is edible if carefully prepared.

Silver-cheeked toadfish

Highly poisonous pufferfish established in Israel’s Mediterranean waters; dangerous if consumed, has caused public-health warnings and impacts to fisheries.

Yellowmouth barracuda

Smaller Lessepsian barracuda now frequent along Israel’s coast; predatory and similar to native barracudas, notable for Lessepsian expansion.

Greater weever

Venomous bottom-dwelling fish that buries in sand; can sting beachgoers and anglers in Israeli waters—handle with care if encountered.

Black scorpionfish

Camouflaged, venomous ambush predator common in Israeli rocky habitats; painful sting, occasionally caught but not widely eaten.

Red Sea clownfish

Iconic orange-and-white clownfish native to Eilat reefs, often associated with sea anemones; a favorite of divers and protected in reef zones.

Blue-spotted ribbontail ray

Striking ray with bright blue spots found on Eilat reefs; shy, small-statured, admired by divers and not targeted by fisheries.

Masked butterflyfish

Yellow, rounded coral reef butterflyfish common in Eilat; reef-associated, easily spotted by snorkelers and divers, not fished commercially.

Yellowbar angelfish

Large, colorful angelfish of Eilat reefs; reef-associated and visually striking for divers, not targeted by fisheries.

Sohal surgeonfish

Boldly striped surgeonfish native to the Red Sea; territorial on reefs around Eilat, important herbivore on coral communities.

Ghobban parrotfish

Hard-biting parrotfish that grazes algae on reefs; present around Eilat and increasingly seen as Lessepsian migrant in Mediterranean waters.

Yellowstripe goatfish

Brightly colored goatfish common on Red Sea reefs near Eilat, uses chin barbels to sift prey; popular with divers, minor fisheries value.

Mullet goatfish

Small, schooling goatfish native to the Red Sea and an established Lessepsian species off Israel; feeds on benthic invertebrates and appears in catches.

Brown surgeonfish

Common reef surgeonfish feeding on algae in Eilat’s reefs; contributes to reef health, often seen grazing in large numbers.

Blue-spotted cornetfish (Red Sea)

Sleek, long-bodied predator also native to the Red Sea; in Eilat found near reefs and seagrass, remarkable for length and tubular snout.

Lionfish (Red Sea native)

Native predator of Eilat reefs with venomous spines; locally part of reef communities though invasive in the Mediterranean.

Emperor angelfish

Colorful angelfish sometimes recorded in Eilat’s reefs; striking appearance makes it popular with divers though sightings are less common.

Giant moray

Very large moray eel inhabiting Eilat’s reef crevices; impressive size and shy nature, can be hazardous if provoked but is a fascinating sight for divers.

Humpbacked puffer

Large puffer sometimes seen on Eilat reefs; capable of inflation and containing toxins—avoid consumption without expert processing.

Orange-lined triggerfish

Distinctively colored reef triggerfish common around Eilat; robust reef dweller that can be territorial and is seldom targeted by fisheries.

Spangled emperor

Predatory reef fish caught by local fishers near Eilat; valued as food and common on sandy reef slopes and seagrass edges.

Blue-spotted stingray (alternate)

Small, patterned stingray frequenting sandy patches near Eilat reefs; shy and easily disturbed by divers, not targeted by commercial fisheries.

Blue-barred parrotfish

Robust parrotfish species grazing on reef algae around Eilat; plays an important ecological role in reef maintenance and is popular with divers.

Blue-lined snapper

Schooling snapper common on Eilat reefs; colorful and frequent in shallow reef habitats, occasionally caught by local fishers.

Blue trevally

Powerful, predatory jack found around Eilat; a prized sport and subsistence species with streamlined body and strong fights.

Blue-spotted cornetfish (Mediterranean record)

Originally Red Sea species that migrated through the Suez Canal and is now well established along Israel’s Mediterranean coastline; notable Lessepsian success story.

Blue toplight goby

Small, sand-sifting goby native to Eilat reefs; interesting behavior for divers and reef aquarists, not targeted by fisheries.

Blue-spotted seabream

Widespread grunt species found in Israeli waters; edible, often caught by small-scale and recreational fishers along coastlines.

Blue and gold snapper

Deep-reef snapper occasionally recorded near Eilat; valued for firm flesh, more typical of deeper rocky habitats.

Blue-spotted cornetfish (duplicate note)

Long, ribbonlike predator originating in the Red Sea, now widespread off Israel’s Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts; attracts attention for its unusual form.

Blue tilapia

Introduced tilapia common in Israel’s freshwater bodies including the Sea of Galilee; important for aquaculture and local fisheries, hardy and sometimes invasive in habitat dynamics.

Nile tilapia

Widely farmed and introduced Nile tilapia occurs in Israeli freshwater sites; fast-growing and important for aquaculture but can outcompete native species if released.

Kinneret bleak

Small, endemic cyprinid confined to the Sea of Galilee; historically important to the lake’s ecology and monitored for conservation due to restricted range.

Common carp

Introduced, robust freshwater fish common in Israeli lakes and reservoirs; important for angling and some aquaculture, can impact native ecosystems through bottom-feeding.

Doctor fish

Small sucker-like fish known for nibbling skin; native to regional springs and used in spa contexts elsewhere, locally a natural stream species and minor fishery interest.

Brown trout

Introduced and locally naturalized trout found in cool northern streams; popular with anglers and managed in some areas for recreational fishing.

Other Fish by Country