Reef fish
Dusky grouper
Epinephelus marginatus
IUCN status: Vulnerable
The signature large fish of Maltese reefs and wrecks. A heavy-bodied grouper that shelters in hull openings and rock crevices. Endangered on the IUCN list from decades of spearfishing pressure across the Mediterranean, so a good-sized individual is a genuine sighting.
- Max size
- Up to ~1.5m, 60kg
- Habitat
- Rocky reef, wreck holes and caverns; territorial and curious
Best places to dive with Dusky grouper
rareoccasionalcommonly seenpeak season
Azores
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Not a pelagic-season animal — a resident reef fish, useful on the coastal days.
Malta & Gozo
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident year-round on reefs and wrecks like the Rozi, Um El Faroud and Xatt l-Ahmar wrecks; less active in the coldest winter water.
Sources & last checked
Checked July 2026
This is a researched draft, not yet human-verified. The seasonality and logistics are drawn from the sources below — confirm specifics (permits, fees, closures) with an operator before you book.
- Marine Life Guide Gozo, Comino & Malta — Atlantis Gozo