QL DFO - Library / MPO - Bibliothèque 626 U5313 no.3 12064521 c.2 - 1 Atlantic "Pelagic" Fish Underwater World Fish that range the open sea are Pelagic species are generally very Atlantic known as " pelagic" species, to dif­ streamlined. They are blue or blue­ ferentiate them from "groundfish" gray over their backs and silvery­ "Pelagic" Fish which feed and dwell near the bot­ white underneath - a form of tom . Feeding mainly in surface or camouflage when in the open sea. middle depth waters, pelagic fish They are caught bath in inshore travel mostly in large schools, tu. n­ and offshore waters, principally with ing and manoeuvring in close forma­ mid-water trawls, purse seines, gill tion with split-second timing in their nets, traps and weirs. quest for plankton and other small species. Best known of the pelagic popula­ tions of Canada's Atlantic coast are herring, but others in order of economic importance include sal­ mon, mackerel , swordfish, bluefin tuna, eels, smelt, gaspereau and capelin. Sorne pelagic fish, notably salmon and gaspereau, migrate from freshwater to the sea and back again for spawning. Eels migrate in the opposite direction, spawning in sait water but entering freshwater to feed . Underwater World Herring comprise more than one­ Herring are processed and mar­ Atlantic Herring keted in various forms. About half of (Ctupea harengus) fifth of Atlantic Canada's annual fisheries catch. They are found all the catch is marketed fresh or as along the northwest Atlantic coast frozen whole dressed fish and fillets, from Cape Hatteras to Hudson one-quarter is cured , including Strait. Herring fishing areas in salted and vinegar-cured, and the Canadian waters include the Bay of rest is either canned, mainly as Fundy, Chedabucto Bay, N.S., the sardines, kippered snacks and fil­ Gulf of St. Lawrence, and along the lets, or used for fish meal and oil. northeast and south coasts of New­ foundland. Atlantic herring have a stream­ lined body which is steel-blue or greenish-blue on the back with green reflections. The sides and belly are silvery. The body is very deep but relatively slender and the mouth is large with the lower jaw projecting a little beyond the upper. The tail is deeply forked and there is a single dorsal fin. The scales are large and loosely attached. Herring may attain a length of 43 centimetres and a weight of .68 kilograms. However, average-sized herring in the catch weigh only about .23 kilograms. Weirs and purse seines are the principal methods of fishing in the Bay of Fundy sardine fishery, which is based on immature herring. Weirs operate during the spring and sum­ mer months and purse seines ac­ count for a considerable portion of the catch in all seasons. The gill net is the major gear used in the spring spawning herring fishery of the Chaleur Bay, North­ umberland Strait and Magdelen Is­ lands. Traps are also important in some areas. The purse seine is the major fishing gear in the later summer-spawning herring fishery of southern Nova Scotia and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 3 Underwater World Atlantic Salmon Atlantic salmon are world­ and a small fleshy fin on the back (Salmo salar) renowned as sport fish notable par­ just in front of the tai l. Colour varies ticularly fo r their fighting qualities as with age and stage of development, well as their succulent, delicious pink but when in the sea they are silvery flesh. They are also caught commer­ on the sides and belly. The back cially and command a higher price varies through shades of brown , on the food market than most other green and blue. There are numerous fish . black spots, usually x-shaped, scat­ Reared in freshwater, they migrate tered along the body. to the sea where they live for one or Salmon may weigh up to 28 kilog­ more years ,returning to their native rams but rarely exceed 14 kilograms. streams to spawn. They are found on The average weight in the commer­ both sides of the North Atlantic. On cial catch is 4.5 kilograms. the North American side they range Commercial fishing for Atlantic from Ungava Bay to northern New salmon is permitted in some areas England. Most Canadian rivers , in ­ with trap-nets or gill nets. Anglers cluding those flowing into the Gulf of fishing the rivers use rod and line. St. Lawrence, support runs of sal­ Salmon are marketed fresh , fro­ mon. zen or smoked. Like other members of the salmon family, Atlantic salmon have a stout but streamlined body, small scales Mackerel Mackerel are streamlined swift­ ln Canadian waters mackerel are (Scomber scombrus) swimming ocean fish which migrate fished from the Bay of Fundy to extensively through the open sea. Newfoundland, with best catches They approach the Canadian Atlan­ being made off southwestern Nova tic coast in late May in large schools. Scotia and in the Gulf of St. Lawr­ ln the fall they head out to sea for the ence around the Magdalen Islands, zone of warmer water which flanks Prince Edward Island and Cape Bre­ the outer edge of the Continental ton. Shelf. Their migratory patterns vary About one-third of the mackerel somewhat from year to year as does catch is taken with pu rse seines, their abundance. another third with trap nets and Among the handsomest of fish , weirs, and the balance with pound Atlantic mackerel are easily distin­ nets , gill nets and trawls . guished by the dark, tiger-like strip­ Mackerel are a delicious fish , but ings on the back, the blue and silver do not keep as well as some other body and the small finlets near the species that have less oil in their tail. The scales are very small. They tissue. Salted, smoked and fresh are known to reach a length of 53 mackerel are consumed in large centimetres and to weigh as muchas quantities while salted or pickled 1.8 kilograms. mackerel are widely exported. Small Mackerel populations are found on quantities are canned or used as bait both sides of the North Atlantic for swordfish and lobsters. Ocean . On the North American side they are found from Black Island, Labrador, to Cape Hatteras off North Carolina. Underwater World 4 Swordfish derive their name from world. They appear in Canadian At­ Swordfish the swordlike projection on the upper lantic fishing areas in early June and (Xiphias gladius) jaw which may be up to half their full remain until mid-October. length. They grow to a length of Offshore fishermen catch them as nearly 4.5 metres and can weigh far west as the Grand Bank. Once over 450 kilograms, although the taken almost exclusively by harpoon­ dressed weight size in the Canadian ing, they are now caught principally catch ranges anywhere between 18 with floating longlines. and 158 kilograms. Swordfish are marketed in fresh or Adult swordfish are a dark metallic frozen form . Sorne restrictions have blue-purple on the back and upper been placed on swordfish sales to part of the sides, shading to silver­ United States markets because of grey and white on the belly. Notable mercury levels. Marketing is permit­ characteristics include the "sword" ted in Canada but limited consump­ and the absence of both teeth and tion is advised. scales. Migratory by nature, swordfish are widely distributed throughout the tropical and temperate oceans of the Bluefin Tuna Bluefin tuna are swift wide-ranging such shape, it is not surprising that (Thunnus thynnus) fish which are found on both sides of bluefins are among the swiftest and the Atlantic and visit Canadian wat­ widest ranging fish in the sea. Adult ers in the summer and early fall bluefins are metallic blue with a months. They are known to range greenish sheen on the back, shading from Labrador south to Brazil. through silver on the sides to white ln Canadian waters giant bluefins, on the belly. ln contrast with adults, in excess of 136 kilograms, appear young bluefin have conspicuous in June, and occasionally the smal­ white vertical bars and spots along ler jumpers (23 to 68 kilograms) are the sides which disappear gradually seen in late August or early Sep­ as the fish grow. tember. Bluefin tuna are excellent Bluefins are beautifully stream­ sportfish . ln Canada, only rod and lined fish with a bluntly pointed nose reel fishing for bluefin is permitted, and a robust body that tapers evenly although incidental catches in mac­ from the shoulder region to a long, kerel traps in St. Margaret's Bay, slim tail region. The head has tightly N.S. , may be retained . Most of these closing jaws, fiat gill-covers and latter fish are held in pound nets and eyes set flush with the surrounding fattened to increase their sale value. surfaces. The body is completely Unlike some other tuna species covered with scales, including a cor­ which are usually canned, bluefin selet of large scales in the shoulder tu na go to market mostly in fresh and region. Sorne of the fins fold into frozen form. grooves or depressions thus giving a smooth contour to the body. With 5 Underwater World American Eel American eels range along the centimetres in length. The body col­ (Anguilla rostrata) north American coast from the Car­ our tends to vary with the habitat. ribbean to Labrador. Spawned in the They are usually black to olive­ southwest North Atlantic, possibly in brown over the back and yellowish the region of the deep Saragasso white on the belly, and become Sea, they find their way to far silvery at the time of the spawning reaches of coastal rivers and inland migration.