Amberjack
Found offshore in almost all of Florida's waters
Amberjack refers to 3 species of Atlantic fish of the Carangidae family (genus Seriola), which includes the jacks and the pompanos.Greater amberjacks, Lesser amberjacks,
Banded Rudderfish, Seriola zonata, is the second smallest Amberjack. This Jack can be distinguished from the Pilot fish by the presence of a first dorsal fin. Juveniles are banded vertically like Pilotfish, and follow large objects or animals. Large individuals (over 10 inches) have no bands. This fish, though commonly caught, is rarely identified. Large ones, with a
raccoon-sripe on the eye and an iridescent gold stripe on the side, are usually called Amberjacks when caught, and juveniles are called Pilotfish. They are found as far north as Nova Scotia. They are less dependent on sharks, etc., than Pilotfish. They can be caught on Shrimp, Silversides, lures (e.g. Spoons) and flies.
Other species exist in other parts of the world, such as: Yellowtail amberjack (including the Asian yellowtail, the California yellowtail, and Yellowtail kingfish or Southern yellowtail), Flat amberjack, and Japanese amberjack (5-Ray Yellowtail).
The yellowtail amberjack or great amberjack, Seriola lalandi, is a large fish found in the Pacific and Indian oceans. It can be divided into three sub-species: The California yellowtail, Seriola lalandi dorsalis, the southern yellowtail, or in New Zealand and Australia the yellowtail kingfish or kingfish , Seriola lalandi lalandi, and the Asian yellowtail, Seriola lalandi aureovitta.
The California Yellowtail is a species of ray-finned fish of the family Carangidae. This species is also known by several alternate names, such as amberjack, fork tail, mossback, and white salmon.[
Diet
The California Yellowtail is carnivorous and feeds on a variety of fish. Mackerel, sardines, anchovies, squid, and crab are common in the yellow tail's diet. Often, the California Yellowtail are found in schools feeding at the surface of the water, as well as deeper down. The California Yellowtail are often confused with some tuna species such as Yellowfin, Bluefin, Bonito, and Skipjack tuna. This species prefers a water temperature of 21–22 °C (70–72 °F), though have also been found in waters between 18–24 °C (64–75 °F).Temperatures cooler than 18° would make the Yellowtail sink into deeper waters to conserve energy.
Range and habitat
The yellow tail's range is circum global, in subtropical waters. The yellowtail can be found near Catalina Island, San Clemente Island, Santa Monica Bay, as well as in Mexican waters like Baja California Peninsula´s and Sea of Cortes. Yellowtail populations have also been found in waters off South Africa, the Walter Shoals, Amsterdam Island, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Hawaii, Rapa, Pitcairn Island, and Easter Island. In the Eastern Pacific they can be found in waters off of British Columbia, as well as from Canada to Chile They usually found around offshore islands, rocky reefs, and kelp beds.
Conservation status
The Yellowtail was common in waters around California and Mexico, but has recently been over fished by Japanese fishing ships. Overfishing is becoming more of a problem as fishers move from areas in which this fish has become scarce to United States' waters in search of this fish. They spawn in warm waters 100–300 miles away from the Californian coast and return in May or June until September or December. They spawn slowly but may live up to and in excess of 30 years. Spawning usually begins at three years old. Yellowtail are aggressive towards other fish. They will often feed more frequently during spawning, which makes an easy target for commercial fishers. They are currently not on the list of endangered animals.
The Japanese amberjack or yellowtail, Seriola quinqueradiata, is a fish in the family Carangidae. It is native to the northwest Pacific, from Japan to Hawaii.
It is greatly appreciated in Japan, where it is called hamachi or buri (鰤). These hamachi or buriare often used in the Japanese food sushi. They are also eaten cooked and are a seasonal favourite in the colder months when the meat must have higher fat content.
Some of the fish consumed are caught wild, but a substantial amount is farmed (about 120,000 tonnes per year). To populate the farms, every May, farmers fish for the small wild fry (called mojako), which can be found under floating seaweed. They scoop out the seaweed together with the mojako and put the mojako in cages in the sea.
The small fry are grown until they reach 10 to 50 grams in mass. They are then sold to farmers, who grow them until they reach 3 kilograms called hamachi, or 5 kilograms called buri. These days, most farmers use extruded pellets to feed the fish.
My Florida related terms
1. Amberjack, Ballyhoo, Banded Rudderfish, Bluefish, Bonefish, Bonita, Chumming, Cobia, Florida, Flounder, Flying Fish, Gag Grouper, Greater Amberjack, How to Make pilchard rings, Ladyfish, Lesser Amberjack, Mahi Mahi, Mangrove Snapper, Menhaden, Mud Minnow, Mullet, Permit, Pinfish, Red Snapper, Redfish, Sailfish, Salt Water, Shrimp, Snook, Spanish Mackerel, Spotted