Category Archives: North Carolina Fisheries

NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES

Originally native to the Gulf States and the Mississippi Valley from Mexico north to Canada, the channel catfish is the most commercially important aquatic species cultured in this country.

In the wild, catfish thrive in fresh and brackish waters throughout the United States.  They inhabit large reservoirs, lakes, ponds and in sluggish streams where bottoms are sand, gravel or rubble.  They prefer clear streams but are common in muddy waters.

Catfish feed day or night near the bottom but will take some food from water surfaces.  Catfish primarily detect food with sense of taste, and taste buds are located over their entire external surface as well as inside the mouth.  In turbid waters where visibility is extremely low, taste is the primary way they find food.

According to the National Fisheries Institute, a global trade organization for seafood processors, catfish ranked fifth among the ten most popular food fish in the United States.  In 2008, there were 28 catfish producers in North Carolina with 1,944 pond acres under cultivation that produced 8.4 million pound of fish.  The retail value of catfish for a major North Carolina catfish processor was nearly $13 million, making it an important commodity to the state’s burgeoning aquaculture industry.

For more information on catfish production, go to NC Cooperative Extension.

Contributed by Barry Nash

North Carolina Fisheries

Wahoo are common to the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The top half of their body is steel blue while their bottom half is pale blue in color. They have a series of 25 to 30 irregular blackish-blue vertical bars on their sides and a large mouth with strong, finely serrated teeth.

Wahoo produce 560,000 eggs (for a 13.52 pound wahoo) to 45 millions eggs (for an 87.1 pound wahoo). The spawning seasons is usually May through October; however, wahoo are believed to spawn year-round in the tropics. Wahoo grow rapidly during their first year or two and reach maturity at two years.

Wahoo commonly attain sizes between 40 and 65 inches in length and have a life span of five or six years. This species are common in tropical waters year round but will migrate to northern latitudes during the summer season.

Wahoo are frequently found alone or in small, loosely connected groups rather than compact schools. They are voracious eaters and typically prey on mackerels, butterfishes, round herrings, scads, pompanos, porcupine fishes and flying fishes.

Wahoo in South Atlantic waters is managed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, but are not regulated in the Gulf of Mexico. The population of wahoo in both the South Atlantic and the Gulf is unknown.

Atlantic wahoo has historically been a recreational fishery, but are caught commercially by longliners fishing for dolphin or other pelagic species. Commercial regulations include a trip limit of 500 pounds and a recreational limit of two wahoo per person per day.

For more detail on this species, go to http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/atl_wahoo.htm

Contributed by Barry Nash

NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES

Gray triggerfish are commonly found in the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to Argentina.  They inhabit ocean hard bottoms, reefs and ledges, especially in near-shore and off-shore locations, either alone or in small groups.

A triggerfish’s body is laterally compressed, with tough leathery skin and two dorsal fins. The fish gets its name from the spines on the dorsal fins. The first dorsal fin has three spines that can be locked into an erect position for use as a defense against predators.

The first spine is very strong.  When threatened, the triggerfish will flee into a tight crevice, wedging itself tightly into place by erecting and locking the first spine. When the second spine is depressed it acts as a trigger, unlocking the first spine.

Triggerfish can weigh up to 13 pounds and grow to approximately 30 inches.  They reach sexual maturity at two years of age and can live as long as 13 years.

Triggerfish feed primarily during daylight on shrimp, crabs, sea urchins, sand dollars, sea stars, sea cucumbers and bivalve mollusks.  Juvenile trigger fish are prey for tuna, dolphinfish, marlin, sailfish and sharks. Amberjack, grouper and sharks are known to prey on adult triggerfish.

Triggerfish are important to commercial and recreational fishermen. The flesh is firm and has a very mild flavor.  It is often consumed fresh, smoked, or dried/salted. It is also highly prized as a show fish in public aquarium facilities.

Gray triggerfish do not appear to be threatened at this time according to the World Conservation Union, a global union of states, governmental agencies, and non-governmental organizations that assess the conservation status of marine species.

For more information on gray triggerfish, go to the Florida Museum of Natural History  or the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

Contributed by Barry Nash

North Carolina Fisheries

In less than a decade, the Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans) has become widely established along the Southeast U.S. and Caribbean. Lionfish are presently invading the Gulf of Mexico and South America. Recent estimates of lionfish densities indicate that lionfish have surpassed some native species with the highest estimates reporting over 1,000 lionfish per acre in some locations.

Lionfish are capable of permanently impacting native reef fish communities. Lionfish occupy the same habitat as economically important species (e.g., snapper and grouper) and may hamper stock rebuilding efforts and coral reef conservation measures.

The Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research (CCFHR) first documented the establishment of Indo-Pacific lionfish in the Atlantic and is leading NOAA’s efforts to study the lionfish invasion. NOAA is accomplishing its research missions on lionfish through strong collaborations with the Reef Environmental and Education Foundation and the United States Geological Survey.

While some biologists advocate an “Eat Lionfish” campaign, the commercial harvest and distribution of this species is not yet established. So if you are lucky enough to participate in a taste test of lionfish fillets, enjoy them. Local supply is limited to recreational fishers.

Dr. James Morris of the CCFHR in Beaufort, NC is a lead researcher on the lionfish invasion. For a summary of NOAA’s research on lionfish biology, ecology, and impacts go to NOAA Fisheries.

Contributed by David Green