Bream

This article is about a group of fish. For other uses, see Bream (disambiguation).

For the common bream of Europe, Abramis brama, see common bream.

Bream (/ˈbriːm/,^[1] US also /ˈbrɪm/ ^ⓘ[1][2]) are species of freshwater fish belonging to a variety of genera including Abramis^[3][4] (e.g., A. brama, the common bream), Ballerus, Blicca, Brama, Chilotilapia, Etelis, Lepomis, Gymnocranius, Lethrinus, Nemipterus, Pharyngochromis, Rhabdosargus, Scolopsis, or Serranochromis.

Common bream caught in the Volga River near Kashin, Russia

Although species from all of these genera are called "bream", the term does not imply a degree of relatedness between them. Fish termed "bream" tend to be narrow, deep-bodied species. The name is a derivation of the Middle English word breme, of Old French origin.

Marine species

The term sea bream is sometimes used for fish of the family Sparidae including Acanthopagrus (Australia), Argyrops, gilt-head bream Sparus aurata (orata in Italy, dorada in Spain), black seabream Spondyliosoma cantharus and red seabream Pagrus or Pagellus species; or pomfrets (family Bramidae).

See also

• Porgy fishing
• Bluegill, sometimes called 'bream'