Fishing in Maldives
198 species across 57 spots
Maldives offers fishing across 57 spots with 198 species in marine, freshwater, brackish, marine, brackish waters. Suitable for beginner to expert anglers.
Top Spots
Luxury dive and fishing destination where pristine coral reefs make the bluestriped butterflyfish extremely abundant during the dry season.
World‑renowned dive and fishing destination with abundant reef structures where African brown snapper congregate on drop‑offs and ledges.
World‑renowned marine protected area with vibrant coral gardens teeming with Spotnape butterflyfish, ideal for luxury‑focused anglers.
198
Species
57
Spots
Species
198
Bluestriped butterflyfish
Chaetodon fremblii
marine
Malayan chromis
Pycnochromis flavipectoralis
marine
Acrostalagmus galeoides
Acrostalagmus galeoides
Cercamia laamu
Cercamia laamu
marine
Canestrini's Goby
Ninnigobius canestrinii
freshwater, brackish
Yellowfin tuna
Thunnus albacares
marine, brackish
Blacktip reef shark
Carcharhinus melanopterus
marine, brackish
Eyestripe surgeonfish
Acanthurus dussumieri
marine
African brown snapper
Lutjanus dentatus
marine, brackish
Clown triggerfish
Balistoides conspicillum
marine, brackish
Ornate wrasse
Thalassoma pavo
marine
Plumed scorpionfish
Scorpaena grandicornis
marine
Black-streaked monocle bream
Scolopsis taeniata
marine
Twospot surgeonfish
Ctenochaetus binotatus
marine
Red-spotted blenny
Blenniella chrysospilos
marine
Zebra blenny
Istiblennius zebra
marine
Sauro lizardfish
Synodus lacertinus
marine
Apogon latus
Apogon latus
marine
Pyronotanthias unimarginatus
Pyronotanthias unimarginatus
marine
Bengal yellowfin seabream
Acanthopagrus datnia
marine, freshwater, brackish
Sunrise Anthias
Pyronotanthias timanoa
marine
Tophat gurnard
Lepidotrigla macracaina
marine
Spotnape butterflyfish
Chaetodon oxycephalus
marine
Porogobius schlegelii
Porogobius schlegelii
marine, freshwater, brackish
Caranx heteropygus
Caranx heteropygus
Grammistes macrophthalmus
Grammistes macrophthalmus
Aleurisma guilliermondii
Aleurisma guilliermondii
Pompano dolphinfish
Coryphaena equiselis
marine
Green jobfish
Aprion virescens
marine
Humpback red snapper
Lutjanus gibbus
marine
Blackspot snapper
Lutjanus ehrenbergii
marine, freshwater, brackish
Red goatfish
Mullus auratus
marine
Pygmy poacher
Odontopyxis trispinosa
marine
Longspined porcupinefish
Diodon holocanthus
marine
Crochet butterflyfish
Chaetodon guentheri
marine
Starspotted grouper
Epinephelus hexagonatus
marine
Afele's dwarfgoby
Eviota afelei
marine
Fan-bellied leatherjacket
Monacanthus chinensis
marine
Orange clownfish
Amphiprion percula
marine
Striped clingfish
Diademichthys lineatus
marine
Dwarf dragonet
Synchiropus postulus
marine
Mekran blenny
Omobranchus mekranensis
marine
Cambeva davisi
Cambeva davisi
freshwater
Pomacentrus caeruleopunctatus
Pomacentrus caeruleopunctatus
marine
Chrionema squamentum
Chrionema squamentum
marine
Opistognathus fossoris
Opistognathus fossoris
marine
Threadfin butterflyfish
Chaetodon auriga
marine
Circle-cheek wrasse
Halichoeres miniatus
marine
Ochetobius elongatus
Ochetobius elongatus
freshwater, brackish
Crescent-wing pygmygoby
Trimma omanense
marine
Fire-eye goby
Yoga pyrops
marine
Yellow-spotted Anthias
Pseudanthias flavoguttatus
Stephanoma phaeosporum
Stephanoma phaeosporum
Twospot banded snapper
Lutjanus biguttatus
marine
Paracheilinus hemitaeniatus
Paracheilinus hemitaeniatus
marine
Charax unimaculatus
Charax unimaculatus
freshwater
Yellow barred pygmygoby
Trimma luteum
marine
Cheilodactylus cinctus
Cheilodactylus cinctus
Two-stick stingfish
Inimicus filamentosus
marine
Mosaic leatherjacket
Eubalichthys mosaicus
marine
Uranoscopus fuscomaculatus
Uranoscopus fuscomaculatus
marine
Cowtail stingray
Pastinachus sephen
marine, freshwater, brackish
African Threadfish
Alectis alexandrina
Serranus goliath
Serranus goliath
Serranus salmonopsis
Serranus salmonopsis
Acrostalagmus lateritius
Acrostalagmus lateritius
Cladobotryum indoafrum
Cladobotryum indoafrum
Stephanoma italicum
Stephanoma italicum
Manta Ray
Manta birostris
Open ocean, coastal areas
Daggertooth pike conger
Muraenesox cinereus
marine, freshwater, brackish
Bartail flathead
Platycephalus indicus
marine, brackish
African pompano
Alectis ciliaris
marine
Striped parrotfish
Scarus iseri
marine
Bank butterflyfish
Prognathodes aya
marine
Pearl blenny
Entomacrodus nigricans
marine
Bumphead parrotfish
Scarus perrico
marine
Annandale's skate
Rajella annandalei
marine
Chameleon sand tilefish
Hoplolatilus chlupatyi
marine
Forked jawfish
Stalix dicra
marine
Priolepis ailina
Priolepis ailina
marine
Yano's starry goby
Asterropteryx atripes
marine
Yirrkala ori
Yirrkala ori
marine
Celebes razorfish
Iniistius celebicus
marine
Saddle wrasse
Thalassoma duperrey
marine
Stone triggerfish
Pseudobalistes naufragium
marine
Bullet tuna
Auxis rochei
marine, brackish
Golden eye jobfish
Pristipomoides flavipinnis
marine
Santer seabream
Cheimerius nufar
marine
Lollipop catshark
Cephalurus cephalus
marine
Round sardinella
Sardinella aurita
marine, brackish
Largehead hairtail
Trichiurus lepturus
marine, brackish
Slender snipefish
Macroramphosus gracilis
marine
Bluespotted cornetfish
Fistularia commersonii
marine
Yellowtail sergeant
Abudefduf notatus
marine
Yellowfin seabream
Acanthopagrus latus
marine, freshwater, brackish
Yellowtip soldierfish
Myripristis xanthacra
marine
Splendid snaggletooth
Astronesthes splendidus
marine
Tail-eye cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus ocellicaudus
marine
Uropterygius genie
Uropterygius genie
marine
Enneapterygius sheni
Enneapterygius sheni
marine
Mud grouper
Epinephelus randalli
marine
Eremodon yetateku
Eremodon yetateku
freshwater
Kawakawa
Euthynnus affinis
marine
Banded rudderfish
Seriola zonata
marine
Golden redbait
Emmelichthys struhsakeri
marine
Acrostalagmus ochraceus
Acrostalagmus ochraceus
Common dolphinfish
Coryphaena hippurus
marine, brackish
Deep-water red snapper
Etelis carbunculus
marine
Atlantic bigeye
Priacanthus arenatus
marine
Giant trevally
Caranx ignobilis
marine, brackish
Spearfish remora
Remora brachyptera
marine
Freckled tonguefish
Symphurus nebulosus
marine
Orange-spotted grouper
Epinephelus coioides
marine, brackish
Longfin grouper
Epinephelus quoyanus
marine
Snubnose grouper
Epinephelus macrospilos
marine
Halimochirurgus alcocki
Halimochirurgus alcocki
marine
Scatty
Scatophagus tetracanthus
marine, freshwater, brackish
Sleepy goby
Psammogobius biocellatus
marine, freshwater, brackish
Kaalpens goby
Coryogalops william
marine, freshwater, brackish
Erisphex philippinus
Erisphex philippinus
marine
Tessellated blenny
Hypsoblennius invemar
marine
Yellowstriped squirrelfish
Neoniphon aurolineatus
marine
Ribbontail stingray
Taeniura lymma
marine
Peristedion riversandersoni
Peristedion riversandersoni
marine
Gibberfish
Gibberichthys pumilus
marine
Yellow podge
Pseudogramma xantha
marine
Cebu shrimpgoby
Cryptocentrus cebuanus
marine
Twilight Fangblenny
Petroscirtes pylei
marine
Clown wedgefish
Rhynchobatus cooki
marine
Caprodon affinis
Caprodon affinis
marine
Platform goby
Pinnichthys prolata
marine
Barracuda (Sphyraena spp.)
Sphyraena spp.
Coastal waters, coral reefs, and estuaries
Festive ribbonfish
Eutaeniophorus festivus
marine
Orangespotted Trevally
Carangoides bajad
Whitefin Kingfish
Carangoides equula
Coachwhip trevally
Carangoides oblongus
Caranx spec
Caranx spec
Caranx whiggus
Caranx whiggus
Acrostalagmus caulophagus
Acrostalagmus caulophagus
Acrostalagmus cephalosporioides
Acrostalagmus cephalosporioides
Acrostalagmus fragrans
Acrostalagmus fragrans
Hypomyces biasolettianus
Hypomyces biasolettianus
Ercolania annelyleorum
Ercolania annelyleorum
Indo-Pacific sailfish
Istiophorus platypterus
marine
Skipjack tuna
Katsuwonus pelamis
marine
Plain bonito
Orcynopsis unicolor
marine, brackish
Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel
Scomberomorus commerson
marine
Orangespine unicornfish
Naso lituratus
marine
Flier
Centrarchus macropterus
freshwater
Paperbones
Luciosudis normani
marine
Spinach pipefish
Microphis spinachioides
freshwater
Short-headed worm eel
Scolecenchelys breviceps
marine
Parajulis poecilepterus
Parajulis poecilepterus
marine
Baldwin's razorfish
Iniistius baldwini
marine
Coelophrys arca
Coelophrys arca
marine
Bigspot minidartfish
Aioliops megastigma
marine
Cambeva difficilis
Cambeva difficilis
freshwater
Acanthocybium proosti
Acanthocybium proosti
Coolihoo
Carangoides bartholomaei
Wahoo
Acanthocybium solandri
marine
Smooth puffer
Lagocephalus laevigatus
marine, brackish
Bluestriped fangblenny
Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos
marine
Makassar anchovy
Encrasicholina sigma
marine
Moorish idol
Zanclus cornutus
marine
Ercolania boodleae
Ercolania boodleae
Chocolate pipefish
Syngnathus euchrous
marine
Branchiostegus argentatus
Branchiostegus argentatus
marine
Popeye lampfish
Bolinichthys longipes
marine
Rathbunella alleni
Rathbunella alleni
marine
Quilon electric ray
Heteronarce prabhui
marine
Andamia amphibius
Andamia amphibius
marine
Ornate sleeper-ray
Electrolux addisoni
marine
Grammonus yunokawai
Grammonus yunokawai
marine
Bigeye tuna
Thunnus obesus
marine
Slender smooth-hound
Gollum attenuatus
marine
Thorny seahorse
Hippocampus histrix
marine
Gigantactis macronema
Gigantactis macronema
marine
Glyptorhynchus sulcatus
Glyptorhynchus sulcatus
Acrostalagmus annulatus
Acrostalagmus annulatus
Dogtooth tuna
Gymnosarda unicolor
marine
Pygmy scorpionfish
Scorpaenodes scaber
marine, brackish
Highfin lizardfish
Bathysaurus mollis
marine
Mead's lanternfish
Diaphus meadi
marine
Burmese bamboo shark
Chiloscyllium burmense
marine
Tarpon
Megalops atlanticus
marine, freshwater, brackish
Yellow-spotted skate
Okamejei hollandi
marine
Black lantern fish
Lampanyctus niger
marine
Cottiusculus gonez
Cottiusculus gonez
marine
Edmondson's pipefish
Halicampus edmondsoni
marine
Bluespot mullet
Moolgarda seheli
marine, freshwater, brackish
Boulenger's snaggletooth
Astronesthes boulengeri
marine
Salalah guitarfish
Acroteriobatus salalah
marine
West Australian seahorse
Hippocampus subelongatus
marine, brackish
Dules produles
Dules produles
Mozambique sea catfish
Plicofollis polystaphylodon
marine, freshwater, brackish
Leptostomias robustus
Leptostomias robustus
marine
Bigeye sand tiger shark
Odontaspis noronhai
marine
Ctenogobiops tongaensis
Ctenogobiops tongaensis
marine