Invasive Fish Species Spotted Off Coast of Nahariya

An invasive fish, identified as a finned platefish, was observed during a routine dive off the coast of Nahariya on Saturday. This marks the first documented sighting of the species along the northern coast of Israel. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority stated that it is likely a finned platefish.

The fish was identified by a team of divers from the Pokert Club, who were diving at the "Etana" wreck site. Photographer Amir Weitzman from Aquazoom managed to document the fish during the dive. According to the Pokert Club, the fish is an invasive species that originated from the Red Sea.

This documentation could aid in monitoring the presence and spread of the species in the Mediterranean Sea. While this is the first sighting off Israel's northern coast, it is not the first in the Mediterranean. A study published earlier this year in the Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment reported the first occurrence of the finned platefish off the coast of Libya.

The fish was previously documented in July 2025 during a night fishing dive near Ras Lanuf in the Gulf of Sirte, at a depth of over ten meters. This was the first documentation of the species along the southern Mediterranean coast, after it was previously seen in Turkey, where it was first documented in 2006. The study also noted that the fish was documented off the coast of Ashdod approximately 15 years ago.

The researcher who published the study mentioned that it is unclear how the fish reached Libya. One possibility is through the Suez Canal, similar to other invasive species from the Indo-Pacific region, or it could be from the release of aquarium fish. However, a single observation cannot determine if it is an incidental sighting or an established, reproducing population. Further monitoring is required to examine the species' spread and its potential impact on the local ecosystem, the researcher emphasized.