Abstract

In this research, status of Serranidae species were evaluated from past to present in the Black Sea. The members of Serranidae are highly commercial species, especially the big ones (groupers) for the fisheries sector in Turkey. Despite the Serranidae species were found in the past, they are almost extinct in the Black Sea waters nowadays. The IUCN statuses of these species have varied from least concern to endanger. There are discrete data in the Turkish Statistical Institute (TSI) for this family between 1989 and 2014. The grouper was caught during 1990s and in 2006, and the name of white grouper was misused as goby by TSI in previous years in the Black Sea. Besides, another Serranidae species the comber was mostly caught in early 1990s and 2000s. Likewise, a decreasing trend has shown in productions of these species in the other seas of Turkey since the early of 2000 according to TSI. The reasons of decreasing or extinction of these species can be overfishing and changing conditions of the Black Sea ecosystem such as pollution, climate change and introduction of invasive species.