Scientific Name
Pomatomus saltatrix

Common Name
Bluefish

Biology
Occur in oceanic and coastal waters. They are most common along surf beaches and rock headlands in clean, high energy waters, although adults can also be found in estuaries and into brackish water. Small fish may be found in shallow coastal waters at least 2 m depth , in schools pursuing and attacking small fishes. Adults are in loose groups, often attacking shoals of mullets or other fishes and destroying numbers apparently far in excess of feeding requirements. Feed on other fish , crustaceans and cephalopods. Associated with sharks and billfishes. Voracious and aggressive , reported to bite when handled. Migrate to warmer water during winter and to cooler water in summer. Popular game fish. Good food fish; marketed mostl

Classification

Classified By

Linnaeus, 1766

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Bluefishes (Pomatomidae)

Distribution

Region

Circumglobal

Distribution

Circumglobal: In tropical to subtropical waters; except the eastern Pacific. Eastern Atlantic: Portugal to South Africa, including the Mediterranean and Black Sea, Madeira, and the Canary Islands. Western Atlantic: Canada and Bermuda to Argentina. Indian Ocean: along the coast of East Africa, Madagascar, southern Oman, southwest India, the Malay Peninsula, and Western Australia. Southwest Pacific: Australia except the Northern Territory, and New Zealand. Absent from eastern Pacific and northwest Pacific. Barely entering the Western Central Pacific region. Records from the Northern Territory, Australia and from Indonesia appear to be erroneous. Occurrence in Taiwan and Hawaii need verification.

Range

45°N - 44°S, 180°W - 180°E

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

200 m

Zone

pelagic-oceanic

Environment

Marine; brackish; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous ; depth range 0 - 200 m

Trophic Level

4.5 s.e. 0.55 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

130 cm

Common Length

60.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes; bait: usually

Vulnerability

High vulnerability (59 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.10-0.13; tm=2; tmax=9; Fec=1 million)

Threat To Humans

Traumatogenic (Ref. 27695)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated