Giant sea bass

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Giant sea bass
Giant Sea Bass, CAS.jpg
A giant sea bass at the California Academy of Sciences
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Polyprionidae
Genus: Stereolepis
Species:
S. gigas
Binomial name
Stereolepis gigas
Ayres, 1859
Synonyms [2]
  • Stereolepis californicus Gill, 1863
  • Megaperca ischinagi Hilgendorf, 1878

The giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas) is a fish native to the North Pacific Ocean. Although commonly referred to as a giant sea bass, black sea bass or giant black sea bass, it is actually a wreckfish in the family Polyprionidae rather than in the sea bass family Serranidae. [3]

Contents

Characteristics

Photo of a particularly large giant sea bass being displayed Giant sea bass.jpg
Photo of a particularly large giant sea bass being displayed

Giant sea bass reaching a size of 8.2 feet (2.5 m) and a weight of up to 562 pounds (255 kg) have been reported. However, in Charles F. Holder's book The Channel Islands of California, published in 1910, the author claims specimens taken from the Gulf of California attained 800 pounds (360 kg). Aside from its tremendous size, the giant sea bass is also known for its lengthy lifespan. They mature around the age of 11 or 12, around the weight of 50 pounds (23 kg). However, some of the largest specimens have been known to exceed 7 ft, and are estimated to be 75 years or older. [4] In the eastern North Pacific, its range is from Humboldt Bay, California, to the Gulf of California, Mexico, most common from Point Conception southward. In the northwestern Pacific it occurs around Japan. [5] It usually stays near kelp forests, drop-offs, or rocky bottoms and sand or mudflats. [6] Juvenile giant sea bass can be found at depths around 69 feet (21 m), with adults of the species found at depths below 66 feet (20 m). [7] Juveniles of the species are brightly colored in red or orange, however as individuals of the species mature they take on more muddled colors of gray or brown. [8]

Diet

Within kelp forests giant sea bass are the apex predator. [8] Giant sea bass feed on crustaceans, as well as a wide variety of fish. For populations off the coast of California, anchovies and croaker are prominent food sources. Mackerel, sheephead, whitefish, sand bass, and several types of crab also make up the sea bass's diet. Despite their great size and bulky appearance, giant sea bass have been known to move extremely quickly, outstripping bonito. [4]

History and conservation

Drawing, 1897 StereolepisGigasGreen.jpg
Drawing, 1897

Recreational fishing of the giant sea bass began in the late 19th century. [9] : 150  Caught off the Central and Southern California coasts in the 20th century, the peak catch of the giant sea bass was in 1932. [6] Giant sea bass were once a relatively common inhabitant of Southern California waters, yet in the 1980s, it was facing the threat of local extinction off the California coast. [10]

Giant sea bass were also a popular “big game” quarry for both freediving and scuba spearfishermen. In the 1970s, spearfishing for this species was made illegal by the California Department of Fish and Game. One unfortunate incident precipitated this abrupt change in the law. Several freedivers had taken 7 fish at Santa Cruz Island. Unable to eat nearly a ton of fish, they sold the fish illegally to a fish market in San Pedro. Fish and Game wardens discovered that the fish had been speared by observing the holes and slip tips left behind in their bodies. [11]

By the late 1970s, biologists with the California Department of Fish and Game, recognized that the local population of giant sea bass was in trouble. Actions were taken, resulting in protection from commercial and sport fishing that went into effect in 1982. [1] In 1996, the species was listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. [12] As of 2004, it is suggested that the population size of Giant Sea Bass in California may be increasing as it is under protection; however, there is no hard data to support it. [1] In 2016, the first successful captive breeding of the species occurred at that Aquarium of the Pacific. [10] The total breeding population in California in 2018 is estimated to be around 500 individuals, of which 40 to 50 return to spawn around Catalina Island each year. [13]

Giant sea bass remain understudied in the Mexican portion of its range, although efforts are underway to monitor the population size, genetic connectivity, and fishing pressure along the Pacific coast of the Baja peninsula. [14] More than half of the range of the giant sea bass are within Mexican waters. [15] In Mexico, the giant sea bass is called mero gigante. [8] The peak catch of giant sea bass in Mexican waters occurred in 1932, when the catch was over 800,000 pounds (360,000 kg). [9] : 209  Prior to 1964, commercial catches of giant sea bass in Mexican waters were above 200,000 pounds (91,000 kg). [9] : 209  In 1981, United States commercial fishermen were initially allowed to catch up to 1,000 pounds (450 kg) of giant sea bass per trip into Mexican waters, and no more than 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg) per year; in 1988 the regulation changed to only allow a single giant sea bass fish to be taken in per trip if taken incidentally. [16] Within those waters for over half a century the average catch of giant sea bass by Mexican fishermen has been 55 tonnes (55,000 kg). [15]

Related Research Articles

Bass is a name shared by many species of fish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species, all belonging to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes. The word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning 'perch'.

Sea bass is a common name for a variety of different species of marine fish. Many fish species of various families have been called sea bass.

Striped bass Species of fish

The striped bass, also called the Atlantic striped bass, striper, linesider, rock, or rockfish, is an anadromous perciform fish of the family Moronidae found primarily along the Atlantic coast of North America. It has also been widely introduced into inland recreational fisheries across the United States. Striped bass found in the Gulf of Mexico are a separate strain referred to as Gulf Coast striped bass.

Halibut Large edible flatfishes

Halibut is the common name for three flatfish in the genera Hippoglossus and Reinhardtius from the family of right-eye flounders and, in some regions, and less commonly, other species of large flatfish.

Mahi-mahi Species of fish

The mahi-mahi or common dolphinfish is a surface-dwelling ray-finned fish found in off-shore temperate, tropical, and subtropical waters worldwide. Also widely called dorado and dolphin, it is one of two members of the family Coryphaenidae, the other being the pompano dolphinfish. These fish are most commonly found in the waters around the Gulf of Mexico, Costa Rica, Hawaii and the Indian Ocean.

Spearfishing Hunting for fish using a spear

Spearfishing is a method of fishing that involves impaling the fish with a straight pointed object such as a spear, gig or harpoon. It has been deployed in artisanal fishing throughout the world for millennia. Early civilisations were familiar with the custom of spearing fish from rivers and streams using sharpened sticks.

Ocean sunfish Species of fish

The ocean sunfish or common mola is one of the two heaviest known bony fish in the world, the other being the southern sunfish of the same genus. Adults typically weigh between 247 and 2,000 kg. The species is native to tropical and temperate waters around the world. It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally. Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ventral fins are extended.

<i>Arapaima</i> Genus of large, Amazonian bonytongue fish

The arapaima, pirarucu, or paiche is any large species of bonytongue in the genus Arapaima native to the Amazon and Essequibo basins of South America. Arapaima is the type genus of the subfamily Arapaiminae within the family Osteoglossidae. They are among the world's largest freshwater fish, reaching as much as 3 m (9.8 ft) in length. They are an important food fish. They have declined in the native range due to overfishing and habitat loss. In contrast, arapaima have been introduced to several tropical regions outside the native range, where they are sometimes considered invasive species. In Kerala, India, Arapaima fishes escaped from the aquaculture ponds after the flood in 2018. Its Portuguese name, pirarucu, derives from the Tupi language words pira and urucum, meaning "red fish".

Yellowfin tuna Species of fish

The yellowfin tuna is a species of tuna found in pelagic waters of tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide.

California spiny lobster Species of crustacean

The California spiny lobster is a species of spiny lobster found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Monterey Bay, California, to the Gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexico. It typically grows to a length of 30 cm (12 in) and is a reddish-brown color with stripes along the legs, and has a pair of enlarged antennae but no claws. The interrupted grooves across the tail are characteristic for the species.

Mekong giant catfish Species of fish

The Mekong giant catfish, is a large, threatened species of catfish in the shark catfish family (Pangasiidae), native to the Mekong basin in Southeast Asia and adjacent China. It is considered critically endangered due to accelerating habitat loss.

Humboldt squid Species of cephalopod

The Humboldt squid, also known as jumbo squid or jumbo flying squid (EN), and Pota in Peru or Jibia in Chile (ES) is a large, predatory squid living in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is the only known species of the genus Dosidicus of the subfamily Ommastrephinae, family Ommastrephidae.

Coho salmon Species of fish

The coho salmon is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family and one of the five Pacific salmon species. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". The scientific species name is based on the Russian common name kizhuch (кижуч).

California sheephead Species of fish

The California sheephead is a species of wrasse native to the eastern Pacific Ocean. Its range is from Monterey Bay, California, to the Gulf of California, Mexico. It can live for up to 20 years in favorable conditions and can reach a size of up to 91 cm (3 ft) and a weight of 16 kg (35 lb). It is carnivorous, living in rocky reef and kelp bed habitats, feeding primarily on sea urchins, molluscs, and crustaceans.

Marlin fishing

Marlin fishing is considered by some game fishermen to be a pinnacle of offshore game fishing, due to the size and power of the four marlin species and their relative rareness. Fishing for marlin captured the imagination of some sport fishermen in the 1930s, when well-known angler/authors Zane Grey, who fished for black, striped, and blue marlin in the Pacific, and Ernest Hemingway, who fished the Florida Keys, Bahamas and Cuba for Atlantic blue marlin and white marlin, wrote extensively about their pursuit and enthused about the sporting qualities of their quarry.

Alaskan king crab fishing Commercial harvest of Alaskan king crab

Alaskan king crab fishing is carried out during the fall in the waters off the coast of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. The commercial catch is shipped worldwide. Large numbers of king crab are also caught in Russian and international waters.

Fishing industry in the United States

As with other countries, the 200 nautical miles (370 km) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the coast of the United States gives its fishing industry special fishing rights. It covers 11.4 million square kilometres, which is the second largest zone in the world, exceeding the land area of the United States.

Ocean whitefish Species of fish

The ocean whitefish, also known as the ocean tilefish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a tilefish belonging to the family Malacanthidae. It is native to the eastern Pacific Ocean.

<i>Stereolepis</i> Genus of fishes

Stereolepis is a genus of marine ray-finned fish from the family Polyprionidae, the wreckfish, which is native to the Pacific Ocean.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Cornish, A. (Grouper & Wrasse Specialist Group) (2004). "Stereolepis gigas". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2004: e.T20795A9230697. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T20795A9230697.en . Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  2. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Polyprionidae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  3. ↑ "Stereolepis gigas". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 18 April 2006.
  4. 1 2 Schultz, Ken (2004). Ken Schultz's Field Guide to Saltwater Fish. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley. p. 182. ISBN   9780471449959.
  5. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Sterolepis gigas" in FishBase . April 2019 version.
  6. 1 2 "Giant sea bass". Animals. Monterey Bay Aquarium. 1999. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  7. ↑ "Giant Sea Bass". Online Learning Center. Aquarium of the Pacific. 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 "About Giant Sea Bass". Marine Science Institute. UC Santa Barbara. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 Leet, William S.; Dewees, Christopher M.; Klingbeil, Richard; Larson, Eric J., eds. (December 2001). California's Living Marine Resources: A Status Report. California Department of Fish and Game Resource Agency. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. ISBN   978-1-879906-57-0. LCCN   2001098707.
  10. 1 2 Sahagun, Louis (4 March 2020). "Scientists seed local seas with imperiled fish. Can giant sea bass make a comeback?". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  11. ↑ Terry, Maas. "Black Seabass Return". Blue Water Freedivers. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "Giant (Black) Sea Bass". Channel Islands National Park. National Park Service. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  13. ↑ Sahagun, Louis (21 July 2018). "Giant sea bass are mysterious to scientists. Understanding them could help the species survive". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  14. ↑ Ramirez-Valdez, Arturo; Villasenor-Derbez, Juan Carlos; Sgarlatta, Maria Paula; Rowell, Timothy J.; Dominguez-Guerrero, Isai; Hernandez, Arturo; Gomez, Antonio Gomez; Cota, Juan Jose; Santana-Morales, Omar; Dominguez-Reza, Ricardo; Castro, Jhonatan. "Proyecto Mero Gigante".
  15. 1 2 Ramirez-Valdez, Arturo (4 August 2021). "Giant sea bass are thriving in Mexican waters scientific research that found them to be critically endangered stopped at the US-Mexico border". The Conversation. Waltham, Massachusetts. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
    Ramirez-Valdez, Arturo (9 August 2021). "Marine Ecologist Surprised To Find "Critically Endangered" Giant Sea Bass Thriving in Mexican Waters". SciTechDaily. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  16. ↑ Department of Fish and Game. Giant Sea Bass (Stereolepis gigas) (PDF) (Report). State of California. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
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