Free Flash Slideshow by cu3ox.com v1.1

Exploring the beautiful nature of California


Marine Fish: Barracuda


Fishes are aquatic vertebrates that have fins, gills and scales. Gills are the part of the respiratory system that provide surface area for exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide under water.

Fish are ectotherms, commonly referred to as 'cold-blooded', meaning their temperature is regulated by the temperature of their environment. They have a range of diets, being herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores. Some fish reproduce by laying eggs, while others reproduce by bearing live young.

California fish species reside in freshwater and coastal/marine waters. Coastal, or marine fish are an abundant and valuable resource. However, the ocean's supply is not limitless, and therefore careful planning and education must be undertaken to ensure the sustainability of the world's largest food source.
a school of barracuda reaching for the sunlight Long and slender, barracuda sport bluish or brownish backs and silvery sides. Known for their large mouths full of sharp, fanglike teeth, barracuda are aggressive hunters. They move slowly and then burst towards their prey and take large, snapping bites with their powerful jaws. Pacific barracudas are slender, predatory fishes with small scales, a large mouth with fang-like teeth, and a protruding lower jaw. The tail fin is forked and the two dorsal fins are widely separated.

Young barracuda live in bays, marinas and under the canopies of kelp forests. Juveniles and adults form thin schools near shore, sometimes over an area of many miles. Often large, tight schools of barracuda herd prey into shallow water, where they’re easily caught.

Pacific barracuda are prevalent from Point Conception, California to Panama.
Some species of barracuda migrate between southern California and Baja California. In the late spring and early summer they move north in an organized fashion from Baja California into southern California. In the autumn their migration south to Baja is less dependable. Some barracuda stay put.

Pacific barracudas have well-deserved reputations for being a voracious hunters. Fish, such as groupers, grunts, snapper, bream and even young barracudas are among its prey.

The barracuda attacks swiftly, charging at its prey at great speed and taking a large snapping bite with its powerful jaws. The barracuda uses its acute eyesight to hunt and will usually move quickly toward light or sudden movement that might indicate the presence of prey. In murky water, it tends to attack an object even before identifying it. When several barracudas hunt in a group they will often herd their prey together into a dense shoal, forcing the fish towards shallow water so that they can feed on a greater number of fish.
California barracuda travel in tight schools California barracuda begin maturing during their second year of life. Although 100% of the males are capable of spawning in their second year, only about 75% of the females are mature in their second year. All of the females are mature in the third year.

Spawning occurs primarily during May, June, and July in nearshore waters of Baja California and southern California. Female barracuda, six to seven years of age, were estimated to produce between 300,000 and 400,000 mature eggs for one spawning, and spawning may occur more than once each season

California barracuda reach a maximum size of about 48 inches in total length, 16 pounds in weight, and 12 + years of age. Specimens larger than 35 inches, 6 pounds, and 10 years of age, however, are now seldom seen in either commercial or sport catches.
Smaller barracuda species swim in schools, but larger species tend to be solitary. Although barracuda attacks on humans are rare, they are feared by swimmers in some places. Evidence shows that the barracuda can be dangerous when provoked by humans, by erratic movement and by bright and/or shiny colors.

Barracuda flesh can become poisonous when they feed on reef fish which in turn feed on algae or smaller fish which have fed on toxin-containing micro-alga such as Gambierdiscus toxicus.

California barracuda are unusual among the world's species of barracuda in having supported relatively large commercial and sport fisheries. Demand for barracuda as a food fish was historically high, and interest in barracuda as a sport-angling species has traditionally been high. Despite a variety of regulations enacted over the years to conserve and manage this resource, landings by both commercial and sport fishermen have declined.
 
 
Website Created by Website Creations

About us      Privacy Disclaimer      Advertisers     Contact Us     Bookstore    Sitemap     Search    Floridian Nature