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Beche De Mer
(Sea Cucumber)

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Also known as Mulloway.

Jewfish are silvery blue or grey, and sometimes they have a large black blotch at the upper part of the pectoral fin base.  The fins are grey or brown.  The dorsal fin is long and notched after the spines section.  Their mouth is terminal and there are 6 distinct pores on the chin.  The caudal fin margin is generally rounded or sigmoid ( } ) shaped.

Jewfish live in central and southern mainland Australian waters from Bundaberg and the Burnett River in Queensland to North West Cape in Western Australia.  Although these fish are common in western Victoria, they are much less abundant between Melbourne and southern New South Wales and have rarely been reported from Bass Strait.  Jewfish are also found around southern Africa and Madagascar.

These fish live in coastal environments, including the lower reaches of rivers, estuaries, rocky reefs, ocean beaches and embayments and the continental shelf out to 150m.  Adults are generally found close to the estuary floor or around shallow coastal reefs or rocky shores.  Jewfish are more prevalent in and around the mouths of larger rivers and embayments, especially after periods of high summer rainfall.

Jewfish are solitary or, particularly as juveniles, form loose schools.  Movement between estuaries several hundred kilometres apart has been recorded.

Juvenile Jewfish grow rapidly, especially from January to March.  Young jewfish in northern New South Wales can increase their length by an average of 2cm each month.   Weight also increases rapidly.  They mature at approximately 6 years of age when they are about 75cm long.

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