Giant Sea Bass (Stereolepis gigas) — Critically Endangered

Giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas), a massive dark reef fish. — Giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas); in an aquarium.
Image: Caitlin Childs, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

IUCN category: CR · Critically Endangered
Animal group: Fish
Population trend: Increasing
FaunaHub record reviewed: 2026-06-16
Checked against IUCN: Matches source — IUCN's 2004 global assessment of Stereolepis gigas says Critically EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment

Conservation overview

The giant sea bass is a huge reef fish of the eastern Pacific that can exceed two metres. It is assessed as Critically Endangered, with signs of recovery under protection.

It is long-lived and slow to mature.

Range & habitat

The eastern Pacific off California, USA, and Mexico.

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

Past severe overfishing
Slow maturation
Bycatch

Why it matters

A giant, long-lived reef predator hammered by historical fishing, the giant sea bass is a flagship for kelp-forest and reef recovery off California.

Gallery

A giant sea bass underwater. — Giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas).
Image: Donald Davesne, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources

Sources for Giant Sea Bass

IUCN Red List — look up Giant Sea Bass (authoritative status)
FishBase

Frequently Asked Questions

How big does the giant sea bass get?

It is one of the largest bony fishes of its region, able to exceed two metres in length and well over a hundred kilograms, living for many decades.

Why is the giant sea bass Critically Endangered?

Published assessments cite past severe overfishing, slow maturation, and bycatch, though fishing limits have allowed some recovery. See the IUCN Red List.