Golden Mullet

(Mugil auratus), a fish of the family Mugilidae found near the shores of Western Europe and northwestern Africa (from England and Norway to Morocco) and in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov. The fish has been acclimatized to the Caspian Sea. It is usually 20–40 cm long; some individuals reach a length of 52 cm. The golden mullet, a swift, schooling fish, jumps out of the water when it is frightened. It winters in the sea, feeding near the shores and swimming into lagoons and the mouths of rivers. The fish feeds on detritus and fouling organisms. Spawning occurs in autumn in the open sea; the eggs float. The golden mullet is commercially valuable. The fry are raised in lagoons sheltered from the sea.