gray triggerfish

The gray triggerfish, also known as the "gray triggerfish", "common triggerfish", and more rarely as the "hogfish", is a fish found from the Black Sea to the Caribbean Sea. It also resides along 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 known for their flesh. They have been subject to historical intensive fishing efforts across the Atlantic and near African coasts. Evaluations conducted on stocks in Mexico have shown that the catch rates induced by commercial and recreational fishing are not sustainable. Since a peak in captures dating back to 1990, populations have been decreasing.

Since 2015, the gray triggerfish has been considered "vulnerable" by the IUCN and these fish must be released if caught accidentally.

Along the French coastline, it is found along the Mediterranean and in the Gulf of Gascony. Although rare, it is sometimes observed in Brittany where it was the subject of sensationalist press articles. These articles mentioned the arrival of a tropical fish on the French coasts. In truth, it had already been documented in the last century before nearly disappearing. With warming waters, this robust species could expand its range.

Although tropical in nature, it is part, along with the ornate wrasse and the redband parrotfish, of the native species in the Mediterranean Sea. Climate change appears to favor this trio whose populations were once confined to the South and East zones of the Mediterranean. The ornate wrasse is now present in Corsica or on the Cote d'Azur. In July 2020, a series of bites on the French coasts could be attributed to gray triggerfish protecting their nest.

Males are larger than females.

The species is found in almost the entire Atlantic Ocean. Once very common, triggerfish are now threatened by overfishing across a large part of their range. In several regions, they are still captured before having had the chance to reproduce.

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

U.S. Gulf of Mexico: This species was a major fishery resource during the 1980s and 1990s in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida. Since 1990, and even more so since 1993, populations have been steadily declining. Conservation plans have been implemented, but as of 2014, there was no clear sign of recovery.

Southern Gulf of Mexico: There is little data on this region. Triggerfish seem less abundant, primarily targeted by artisanal fishing, especially in the Caribbean Sea. Large-scale studies are lacking to evaluate stocks.

Northwest Atlantic Coast: The species is not targeted by industrial and semi-industrial fisheries in this region. However, accidental capture rates have decreased fivefold since the 1970s, suggesting a reduction in populations.

Brazil: The situation on the South American coast is one of the most concerning. Exploited since the 1960s off the coast of Sao Paulo, triggerfish were initially caught as bycatch. Intensive fishing began in the 1990s and 2000s, making it a major fishery resource in the state of Espirito Santo before stock collapse led to its disappearance from the market. Gillnet fisheries, with mesh sizes smaller than the size of reproduction, are held responsible for this ecological disaster. Scientists estimate that nearly half of the caught fish were not mature.

Southeast Atlantic Coast and Mediterranean Sea: On the African side, after being the most fished species in the Gulf of Guinea for nearly 20 years, populations also collapsed. After a golden age in the 1970s and 1980s, catches decreased, or even collapsed, in Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Cape Verde. In Ivory Coast, this fish, once very abundant in the 1980s, almost disappeared from 1993 onwards. Another species, B. carolinensis, saw its populations decline due to overexploitation.

In Ghana, in 1979-1980, triggerfish accounted for 62% of the total demersal fish biomass in coastal waters. In the 1980s, about 8,000 tons of triggerfish were caught annually in Ghanaian waters. In 1995, 2 tons of triggerfish were caught. More recently, the species may be starting to recover in Ghana and Sierra Leone, where it is among the 20 most commonly encountered species.

Northeast Atlantic Coast: Tunisia and Portugal were the countries with the highest catches from 1993-2009, averaging 77 tons per year. In 2009, Libya caught 432 tons of triggerfish. In Ireland, an increase in captures was reported between 1989 and 1991, a period that could correspond with the years triggerfish were observed on the Breton coasts.