The gilt-head bream was first formally described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae with its type locality given as the Mediterranean and Venezuela (although this has now been shown to be a specimen of Calamus).

[2] The gilt-head bream is found in the northeastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean from Great Britain and Ireland to possibly as far south as Senegal, including the Canary Islands.

[2] Gilt-head bream are protandrous sequential hermaphrodites, maturing as males by age 2, before some develop ovaries and lose their testes in later life.

[11] In addition, gilthead seabream have traditionally been cultured extensively in coastal lagoons and saltwater ponds.

However, intensive rearing systems were developed during the 1980s, and gilthead seabream has become an important aquaculture species, primarily in the Mediterranean area and Portugal.

[13] One of the biggest challenges facing the sea bream aquaculture industry is the frequency of skeletal abnormalities.

[16][17] The gilt-head bream is considered to be the most esteemed seabream for eating, especially in Southern Europe where the mild and sweet flavour of the flesh, which breaks into small flakes, is popular.