Shortfin Mako SharkSun, Apr 30, 2023 8:53 PM
The shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus—meaning "sharp nose") is a large mackerel shark. It is commonly referred to as the mako shark together with the longfin mako shark (Isurus paucus).Found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate seas, these solitary, pelagic, fast swimming species rarely come in close to shore. The shortfin mako, Isurus oxyrinchus, is most often encountered by anglers as it is more likely to move in shore on occasion. The longfin mako, Isurus paucus, is a widely distributed off shore species considered rare in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, except along the coast of Cuba. It is taken almost exclusively on longlines. It is a pelagic species that can be found from the surface down to depths of 150 m (490 ft), normally far from land though occasionally closer to shore, around islands or inlets. One of only four known endothermic sharks, it is seldom found in waters colder than 16 °C (61 °F). In the western Atlantic
Spanish MackerelSat, Apr 15, 2023 5:39 PM
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 United States from Miami Florida, beginning in late February through July reaching as far as southern Cape Cod, Massachusetts, then returning in fall. The Atlantic group spawns starting in April off the Carolinas and from late August to late September in the northernmost part of its range. An Eastern Gulf group moves northward from the Florida Keys during late winter and spring, appearing off the central West Coast of Florida about April 1. Movement continues westward and terminates along the northern Texas coast. During fall, this group migrates back to its wintering grounds in the Keys. The fish exhibits a green back; i
Blue MarlinTue, Aug 30, 2022 8:28 PM
The Atlantic blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) is a species of marlin endemic to the Atlantic Ocean. The blue marlin (hereafter, marlin) feeds on a wide variety of organisms near the surface. By using its bill, it can stun, injure, or kill while knifing through a school of prey and then return later at its leisure to eat. Marlin is a popular game fish and has commercial value because its meat has a relatively high fat content. This pelagic and migratory species occurs in tropical and warm temperate oceanic waters. In the Atlantic Ocean it is found from 45°N to 35°S, and in the Pacific Ocean from 48°N to 48°S. It is less abundant in the eastern portions of both oceans. In the Indian Ocean it occurs around Ceylon, Mauritius, and off the east coast of Africa. In the northern Gulf of Mexico its movements seem to be associated with the so called Loop Current, an extension of the Caribbean Current. Seasonal concentrations occur in the southwest Atlantic (5&am
CobiaThu, May 12, 2022 5:16 PM
Cobia are perciform marine fish, the sole representative of their family, the Rachycentridae. Attaining a maximum length of 2 metres (78 inches), cobia have elongate fusiform (spindle shaped) bodies and broad, flattened heads. Their eyes are small and their lower jaw projects slightly past the upper jaw. On the jaws, tongue and roof of the mouth are bands of villiform (fibrous) teeth. Their bodies are smooth with small scales, their dark brown coloration grading to white on the belly with two darker brown horizontal bands on the flanks. These may not be prominent except during spawning when cobia lighten in colour and adopt a more prominently striped pattern. The large pectoral fins are normally carried horizontally (rather than vertically as shown for convenience in the illustration), so that, as seen in the water they may be mistaken for a small shark. When boated, the horizontal pectoral fins enable the cobia to remain upright so that their vigorous thrashing can make them a haza
White MarlinSun, Jan 12, 2025 11:04 AM
Occurs throughout the Atlantic Ocean from latitudes 35°S to 45°N, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the western Mediterranean Sea. Stray specimens have been recorded outside this range. Though this pelagic and migratory species is usually found in deep blue tropical and warm temperate waters, it frequently comes in close to shore where waters aren't much deeper than 8 fathoms. The White Marlin's preferred habitat is deep blue water over 100m (330 feet). White marlin are large, elongated fish with a large upper jaw that forms a spear which is round in cross-section. They are dark blue to chocolate-brown in color. Its most characteristic feature is the rounded, rather than pointed, tips of the pectoral fins, first dorsal fin and first anal fin. Some specimens apparently vary from the norm in that the dorsal and pectoral fins may be more pointed; the anal fin is more consistently rounded than the others. The first do
BluefishMon, Oct 17, 2022 11:20 PM
The bluefish, called tailor in Australia, is a species of popular marine gamefish found in all climates. It is the only extant species of the Pomatomidae family. The bluefish is a moderately proportioned fish, with a broad, forked tail. The spiny first dorsal fin is normally folded back in a groove, as are its pectoral fins. Coloration is a grayish blue-green dorsally, fading to white on the lower sides and belly. Its single row of teeth in each jaw are uniform in size, knife-edged and sharp. Bluefish commonly range in size from seven-inch (18-cm) "snappers" to much larger, sometimes weighing as much as 30 pounds, though fish heavier than twenty pounds (9 kg) are exceptional. Bluefish are found off Florida in the winter months. By April, they have disappeared, heading north. By June, they may be found off Massachusetts; in years of high abundance, stragglers may be found as far north as Nova Scotia. By October, they leave New England waters, heading south. They ar
Yellowfin TunaWed, Jun 25, 2014 3:26 PM
The yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is a species of tuna found in pelagic waters of tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. Yellowfin is often marketed as ahi, from its Hawaiian name ʻahi although the name ʻahi in Hawaiian also refers to the closely related bigeye tuna. The species name, albacares ("white meat") can lead to confusion. The tuna known as albacore in English, is a different species of tuna: Thunnus alalunga. However, yellowfin tuna is officially designated albacore in French, and is referred to as albacora by Portuguese fishermen. The yellowfin tuna is one of the largest tuna species, reaching weights of over 300 pounds (140 kg), but is significantly smaller than the Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tunas that can reach over 1,000 pounds (450 kg) and slightly smaller than the bigeye tuna and the southern bluefin tuna. Reported sizes in the literature have ranged as high as 239 centimeters (94 in) in length and 200 kilograms (440 lb) in weight. The second do
Mahi-mahiMon, Jun 11, 2012 9:27 PM
The mahi-mahi or common dolphinfish is a surface-dwelling ray-finned fish found in off-shore temperate, tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. Also known widely as dorado, it is one of only two members of the Coryphaenidae family, the other being the pompano dolphinfish. Mahi-mahi live 4 to 5 years. Catches average 7 to 13 kilograms (15 to 29 lb). They seldom exceed 15 kilograms (33 lb), and mahi-mahi over 18 kilograms (40 lb) are exceptional. Mahi-mahi have compressed bodies and long dorsal fins extending nearly the entire length of their bodies. Their caudal fins and anal fins are sharply concave. They are distinguished by dazzling colors: golden on the sides, and bright blues and greens on the sides and back. Large males have high, vertical foreheads, while the female's forehead is rounded. Males grow larger than females. The name mahi-mahi means very strong in Hawaiian. They are extremely fast swimmers and feed extensively on flying fish and squid
Largemouth BassWed, Mar 29, 2023 4:26 PM
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America. It is also known as the widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, gilsdorf bass, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth and northern largemouth. The largemouth bass is the state fish of Alabama (official freshwater fish), Georgia, Mississippi, Florida (state freshwater fish), and Tennessee (official sport fish). The largemouth is an olive green fish, marked by a series of dark, sometimes black, blotches forming a jagged horizontal stripe along each flank. The upper jaw (maxilla) of a largemouth bass extends beyond the rear margin of the orbit. In comparison to age, a female bass is larger than a male. The largemouth is the largest of the black basses, reaching a maximum recorded overall length of 29.5 in (75 cm). The fish lives 16 years on average. They prefer locations with lots of structure, such as submer
Blackfin TunaSun, Mar 21, 2021 11:46 PM
Blackfin tuna is the smallest tuna species in the Thunnus genus, generally growing to a maximum of 100 centimetres (39 in) in length and weighing 21 kg (46 lbs). Blackfin have oval shaped bodies, black backs with a slight yellow on the finlets, and have yellow on the sides of their body. Blackfin are only found in the western Atlantic from Cape Cod to Brazil. These tuna do not consume as much fish in their diet as other tunas, and will eat the tiny larvae of stomatopods (king shrimp or mantis shrimp), true shrimp, and crabs, as well as small fish. They do, of course, also eat juvenile and adult fish and squid. They are a short-lived, fast-growing species; a 5 year old fish would be considered old. They reach sexual maturity at two years old, and spawn in the open sea during the summer. Blackfin tuna are a warmer-water fish, preferring water temperatures over 68°F (20°C). What they lack in size, they make up for in numbers and willingness to bite. There are