Description and characteristics
The white bream (Blicca bjoerkna) is a deep-bodied cyprinid resembling the bream but smaller. It has silvery scales, small eyes and fins with reddish bases. It differs from the bream by having fewer rays in the dorsal fin.
Habitat and distribution
White bream inhabits the freshwater and brackish waters of the Danube Delta — lakes, ponds, branches and canals, preferring calm waters with muddy bottoms and vegetation. It school near the bottom.
Diet and behaviour
It feeds on benthic invertebrates, insect larvae, small molluscs and plant debris. A schooling species, active during the day, seeking food on the bottom.
Reproduction
Spawning occurs in spring at 12–16°C. The female lays eggs on vegetation, and the fry develop relatively quickly, maturing within a few years.
Economic and ecological importance
White bream contributes to ecosystem diversity and balance, being part of the trophic base for predators. Locally, it is caught and eaten or used as bait.
Threats and conservation
It is affected by water pollution and habitat loss, but thanks to adaptability populations remain stable in protected areas.
Fishing and legal minimum size
White bream is caught with rod and small nets. In the table of minimum legal sizes, the white bream (Blicca bjoerkna) has a minimum legal size of 15 cm.
Conclusion
The white bream is a discreet but numerous cyprinid, important for the biodiversity of the Danube Delta.