Southern Rays Bream
Reineta is the backbone of Chile's artisanal coastal fishery — a fast-moving pelagic fish that migrates along the Humboldt Current and concentrates off central and central-southern Chile during the austral summer.
Most Chileans know it from the fish market, but it's also targeted directly by small-boat longliners and gillnetters working the nearshore Pacific.
Scientific Name: Brama australis
Also known as Reineta, pomfret
- Deep, strongly compressed silver body — the classic pomfret shape, almost disc-like when viewed head-on, with a forked tail and large eyes.
- Single dorsal fin with no true spines, just stiffened rays; the front lobe rises noticeably higher than the rest of the fin — a quick ID marker.
- Anal fin mirrors the dorsal but lacks that raised front lobe; fewer than 29 rays in the anal fin.
- Grows to around 53 cm standard length; commercial fish typically run smaller, but larger individuals are common in artisanal catches.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- A wide-ranging pelagic species found between roughly 34°S and 48°S — the subtropical to sub-Antarctic band of the South Pacific, from New Zealand across to Chile.
- Swims in the water column from near the surface down to about 120 m, spending most of its time in the upper 15–120 m range.
- In Chile, concentrates along the central and central-southern coast during the austral summer, driven by the Humboldt Current and the krill blooms it fuels.
- Highly migratory — stock structure is still being studied, and tagging programs off Chile are only beginning to map its movements.
Key Locations
- Central Chile coast — the core of the artisanal reineta fishery, with the highest seasonal concentrations during the austral summer.
- Central-southern Chile — tagging and commercial catch data confirm significant presence extending into this zone.
- Humboldt Current zone — the productive upwelling system running along Chile's Pacific coast is the defining habitat feature that draws reineta inshore seasonally.
Specific Spots
- Follows dense krill aggregations in the upper water column — where the bait is, the reineta will be stacked above or through it.
- Artisanal boats work the nearshore pelagic zone, setting longlines and gillnets in open water rather than over bottom structure.
- Current edges and upwelling zones along the central Chilean coast concentrate both prey and fish — productive areas shift with seasonal upwelling intensity.
Southern Rays Bream FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Southern Rays Bream?
Small to medium metal jigs worked through the water column imitate the krill and amphipods that dominate the diet, pink, orange, and translucent colors match the natural forage.
When is the best time to fish for Southern Rays Bream?
Austral summer (November through March), peak availability along the central Chilean coast, coinciding with upwelling-driven krill blooms. Availability drops off outside summer as fish disperse on their broader South Pacific migration.
How do you catch Southern Rays Bream?
Most reineta fishing in Chile is done by artisanal boats using longlines and gillnets set in open pelagic water during the austral summer, when fish concentrate inshore along the central coast. Small-boat anglers work the water column with jigs, targeting the same krill-rich zones the commercial fleet finds.
What do Southern Rays Bream eat?
Krill, specifically Euphausia mucronata, makes up the overwhelming majority of the diet during the austral summer off central Chile. Anything that imitates a small shrimp or krill in the water column is the logical starting point.
Where do Southern Rays Bream live?
A wide-ranging pelagic species found between roughly 34°S and 48°S, the subtropical to sub-Antarctic band of the South Pacific, from New Zealand across to Chile. Swims in the water column from near the surface down to about 120 m, spending most of its time in the upper 15–120 m range.
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