grey triggerfish

Balistes capriscus, also known as the "grey triggerfish", is a fish found from the Black Sea to the Caribbean Sea. It also resides off the Southeast coast of Brazil up to Canada. It is among the species with the widest distribution in the Atlantic region.

Little known in Europe, triggerfish are fish known for their flesh. They have been subject to historical intensive fishing in the Americas and near African coasts. Assessments conducted on stocks in Mexico have shown that catch rates induced by commercial and recreational fishing are unsustainable. Since a peak in catches dating back to 1990, populations have been declining.

Since 2015, the triggerfish has been considered "vulnerable" by the IUCN and these fish must be released in case of accidental capture.

On the French coast, they are found along the Mediterranean and in the Gulf of Gascony. Although rare, they are sometimes observed in Brittany where they have been the subject of sensationalist press articles. These articles mentioned the arrival of a tropical fish on French coasts. In truth, it had already been documented in the last century before almost disappearing. With warming waters, this hardy species could expand its range.

Despite their tropical affinity, they are part, along with the ornate wrasse and the redtail parrotfish, of native species in the Mediterranean Sea. Climate change appears to favor this trio, whose populations were once confined to the South and East Mediterranean areas. The ornate wrasse is now found in Corsica and in the French Riviera. In July 2020, a series of bites on French coasts could be attributed to triggerfish protecting their nest.

Males are larger than females.

The species is present in almost the entire Atlantic Ocean. Once very common, triggerfish are now threatened by overfishing across much of their range. In several regions, they are captured before having the opportunity to reproduce.

Scientists estimate a 63 to 68% decline in the population over three generations, across 25 to 75% of their range (Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Guinea, and Brazil).

Gulf of Mexico, United States:

This species was a major fishery resource during the 1980s and 1990s in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida. Since 1990, and especially after 1993, populations have been in constant decline. Conservation plans were implemented, but as of 2014, there were no clear signs of recovery.

Southern Gulf of Mexico:

There is little statistical data on this region. Triggerfish appear to be less abundant and are mainly targeted by artisanal fisheries, particularly in the Caribbean. Large-scale studies are lacking to assess stock levels.

Northwest Atlantic Coast:

In this region, the species is not targeted by industrial or semi-industrial fisheries. However, the bycatch rate has decreased fivefold since the 1970s, suggesting a population decline.

Brazil:

The situation along the South American coast is among the most concerning. Exploited since the 1960s off the coast of São Paulo state, the triggerfish was initially caught as miscellaneous fish. It began to be intensively fished during the 1990s and 2000s, becoming one of the main fishery resources in the state of Espírito Santo before stock collapse led to its disappearance from the market. Gillnet fisheries, with mesh sizes smaller than the species’ reproductive size, are held responsible for this ecological disaster. Scientists estimate that nearly half of the fish caught were not sexually mature.

Southeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Coasts:

On the African side, after being the most fished species in the Gulf of Guinea for nearly 20 years, triggerfish populations also collapsed. After a golden age in the 1970s and 1980s, catches declined or even collapsed in Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Cape Verde. In Côte d’Ivoire, this fish, which was very abundant in the 1980s, had almost disappeared by 1993. A second species, Balistes carolinensis, also saw its population decline due to overexploitation.

In Ghana, during 1979–1980, triggerfish made up 62% of the total biomass of demersal fish in coastal waters. In the 1980s, around 8,000 tonnes of triggerfish were caught annually in Ghanaian waters. In 1995, 2 tonnes were landed. More recently, the species may be starting to recover in Ghana and Sierra Leone, where it is now among the 20 most commonly encountered species.

Northeast Atlantic Coast:

Tunisia and Portugal were the top two countries for triggerfish catches between 1993 and 2009, with an average of 77 tonnes per year. In 2009, Libya caught 432 tonnes of triggerfish. In Ireland, an increase in catches was recorded between 1989 and 1991, which may correspond with the period when triggerfish were observed along the coasts of Brittany.