Species of Fish

Spanish Mackerel are found in the western Atlantic north to the Chesapeake Bay and occasionally to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and south to Yucatan, Mexico. It appears that one Atlantic and one or more Gulf groups of Spanish mackerel occur in Florida waters. With rising water temperatures, the Atlantic group migrates along the Atlantic coast of...

The shortbill spearfish is a species of marlin native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, with occasional records from the Atlantic Ocean. This species occurs in open waters not far from the surface. This species can reach a length of 230 cm (91 in), though most do not exceed 190 cm (75 in). The maximum recorded weight for this species is 52 kg (11...

The speckled hind (Epinephelus drummondhayi), also known as the calico grouper, kitty mitchell or strawberry grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in Bermuda and off eastern coast of North Ameri...

The spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias, is one of the best known of the dogfish which are members of the family Squalidae in the order Squaliformes. While these common names may apply to several species, Squalus acanthias is distinguished by having two spines (one anterior to each dorsal fin) and lacks an anal fin. These dogfish are found in inshor...

The spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus), also called spotty, or spots in various fishing communities, is a species of freshwater fish of the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of the order Perciformes. One of the black basses, it is native to the Mississippi River basin and across the Gulf states, from central Texas through the Florida panhandle....

The spotted seatrout, also known as speckled trout, is a common estuarine fish found in the southern United States along coasts of Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Ocean. While most of these fish are caught on shallow, grassy flats, spotted seatrout reside in virtually any inshore waters, from the surf of outside islands to far up coastal rivers...

The striped bass, or “rockfish” as it is known in North and South Carolina, occurs from the St. Lawrence River to northern Florida on the Atlantic coast of the United States; off Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi in the Gulf of Mexico; and along the U.S. Pacific coast from Washington to California. Striped bass were unknown...

The striped marlin, Kajikia audax, is a small species of marlin found in tropical to temperate Indo-Pacific oceans not far from the surface. It is a desirable commercial and game fish with a record weight (in 1982) of 190 kg (420 lb) and a maximum length of 4.2 m (13.8 ft). The striped marlin is a predator that hunts during the day in the top 100...

The Striped Mullet, also known as “jumping mullet”, has two widely spaced dorsal fins and a large eye parallel with their mouths. The back is bluish-gray or green, shading to silvery sides and a white belly. They also have many thin horizontal stripes along their side. The second dorsal fin starts over the beginning of the anal fin. A...

Swordfish (Xiphias gladius; from Greek ξίφος: sword, and Latin gladius: sword), are large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat bill. They are a popular sport fish of the billfish category, though elusive. Swordfish are elongated, round-bodied, and lose all teeth and scales by adulthood. These fish are found widely in tr...

The Atlantic Tarpon inhabits coastal waters, estuaries, lagoons, and rivers. The tarpon feeds almost exclusively on schooling fish and occasionally crabs. The Atlantic tarpon is also known as the silver king.   In appearance, a tarpon is greenish or bluish on top and silver on the sides. The large mouth is turned upwards and the lower ja...

The tautog or blackfish is a fish of the wrasse family found in salt water from Nova Scotia to Georgia. It lives along the bottom, in and amongst rocks, wrecks, mussel beds, bridge pilings or other bottom features.   Tautog are brown and dark olive, with white blotches, and have plump elongated bodies. They have an average weight of 1 to...

The Atlantic thread herring (Opisthonema oglinum) is a herring-like fish in the family Clupeidae. It has a dark blue-gray back, silvery sides, a white belly, and a small head. Upper sides blue-green, sometimes with dark horizontal lines, lower sides and abdomen silvery; dark spot on side posterior to gill cover, about equal in size to diameter of...