Offshore fish identification cards for small-scale line fisheries These identification cards are produced by the Pacific Community (SPC) to help improve catch data and statistics from small-scale vessels that regularly target pelagic species. With a better understanding of small- scale vessel catches, regional fisheries managers can ensure that migratory stocks are better managed throughout the range of the stocks and that small-scale fishers get more recognition and support for their contribution to food security and employment at the local community level. The most likely users of these cards are small-scale fishers who actively target pelagic stocks, along with fishery officers who are tasked with monitoring these fisheries. Fisheries training institutions and fishing communities are other potential users. Project co-ordination was done by the Oceanic Fisheries Programme Fisheries Monitoring Section and the Fisheries Information Section, SPC. Most of the colour illustrations are by Les Hata. Others are by Hazel Adams (p. 8, 9, 12, 13, 32, 33, 45, 46, 47 and 48), Jipé Le-Bars (p. 4 and 5) and Rachel O’Shea (p. 27); black and white illustrations courtesy of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This publication is based on the Marine species identification manual for horizontal longline fishermen by Chapman et al. (2006). © Pacific Community, 2017 Original text: English Pacific Community Cataloguing-in-publication data Offshore fish identification cards for small-scale line fisheries / Pacific Community 1. Marine fishes – Classification – Oceania. 2. Fishery management – Oceania. 3. Fishes – Identification – Oceania. I. Title II. Pacific Community 338.3720995 AACR2 ISBN: 978-982-00-1082-6 Tunas and other scombrids
Second dorsal fin Base of second First dorsal fin dorsal fin
Finlets
Caudal fin
Caudal keel
Pectoral fin Base of anal fin Pelvic fin Anal fin
1 Tunas 2 Tunas and other scombrids Yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares
Narrow body, Adults especially (>70 cm) near caudal fin
Notch in caudal fin Finlets yellow with no black edge Second dorsal and anal fins very long YFT and yellow Bigeye tuna Thunnus obesus
Adults Stout body (>70 cm)
No notch in caudal fin Finlets bright yellow with black edge BET
3 Tunas and other scombrids 4 Tunas and other scombrids Yellowfin tuna < 120 cm Yellow n Thunnus albacares Pectoral fins blade-like
Juveniles Narrow body, (40–70 cm) especially near caudal fin Bigeye
Small notch in caudal fin
Pectoral fin tip Lines slightly curved, rounded Pectoral fin evenly spaced, reaches base of separated by lines YFT second dorsal fin of spots over most of body Yellow n
Bigeye tuna < 120 cm Bigeye Thunnus obesus Pectoral fins curved
Juveniles Stout body (40–70 cm)
No notch in caudal fin
Pectoral fin tip Lines almost straight, pointed Pectoral fin often unevenly spaced with extends beyond base a few erratic spots mostly BET of second dorsal fin over lower body
5 Tunas and other scombrids 6 Tunas and other scombrids Albacore tuna Thunnus alalunga Back edge of caudal fin white or colourless
Pectoral fin reaches way past base of second dorsal and anal fins ALB Longtail tuna Thunnus tonggol Second dorsal fin taller than first dorsal fin Body slender, especially towards caudal fin
Faint rows of colourless Pectoral fin rarely reaches spots along belly LOT space between dorsal fins
7 Tunas and other scombrids 8 Tunas and other scombrids Bullet tuna Auxis rochei rochei Wide space between first and second dorsal fins
Pectoral fin tip does not reach front edge of patterned area BLT Frigate tuna Auxis thazard thazard Wide space between first and second dorsal fins
Pectoral fin tip reaches beyond front edge of patterned area FRI
9 Tunas and other scombrids 10 Tunas and other scombrids Skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis
Three to five stripes along belly SKJ Kawakawa Euthynnus affinis Narrow space between first and second dorsal fins
Black spots, sometimes faded KAW
11 Tunas and other scombrids 12 Tunas and other scombrids Striped bonito Sarda orientalis
Numerous stripes, black on upper side, fading on lower side
BIP Double-lined mackerel Grammatorcynus bilineatus
Two lateral lines (one on upper side and one on lower side)
DBM A similar and less common species, Grammatorcynus bicarinatus (not shown), has small black spots along the belly.
13 Tunas and other scombrids 14 Tunas and other scombrids Wahoo Acanthocybium solandri
Snout as long as rest of head
Snout Rest of head
Lateral line dips under first dorsal fin
WAH Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus commerson
Snout shorter than rest of head
Snout Rest of head
Lateral line dips after first dorsal fin
COM
15 Tunas and other scombrids 16 Tunas and other scombrids Dogtooth tuna Gymnosarda unicolor
Obvious wavy lateral line
Cone-shaped (dog-like) teeth in a large mouth DOT Billfish
First dorsal fin Second dorsal fin Upper jaw prolonged (bill)
Caudal fin
Caudal Pectoral fin keels First anal fin Pelvic fin Second anal fin
17 Billfish 18 Billfish Blue marlin Makaira nigricans Dorsal fin height (a) half to three-quarters of (a) greatest body depth (b)
(b)
Pectoral fin not rigid – can flatten against body BUM Striped marlin Tetrapturus audax Dorsal fin height (a) higher than or sometimes equal to (a) greatest body depth (b)
(b)
MLS Pectoral fin not rigid – can flatten against body
19 Billfish 20 Billfish Black marlin Istiompax indica
Dorsal fin height (a) about half of (a) greatest body depth (b)
(b)
Pectoral fin rigid – cannot flatten against body BLM on fish over 40 kg Swordfish Xiphias gladius
First and second dorsal fins widely separated (except if <100 cm) Sword-like bill with smooth surface
No pelvic fins Only one caudal keel SWO
21 Billfish 22 Billfish Shortbill spearfish Tetrapturus angustirostris
Dorsal fin about same height as body depth
(a)
(b)
Bill length (a) very short, equal to or shorter than head length (b)
SSP Sailfish Istiophorus platypterus
Dorsal fin very tall (more than two times body depth)
SFA
23 Billfish 24 Jacks Jacks
First dorsal fin Second dorsal fin Lateral line Scutes
Caudal fin
Operculum Anal fin Pectoral fin Pelvic fin Bigeye trevally Caranx sexfasciatus
Small black spot at upper edge of gill cover
White tip on second dorsal and anal fin
CSX
25 Jacks 26 Jacks Rainbow runner Elagatis bipinnulata Blue and yellow stripes on side
Caudal fin dark in colour and deeply forked
Two-rayed finlet behind second dorsal and anal fins RRU Yellowtail amberjack; Kingfish Seriola lalandi
Single yellow stripe on side
No finlet
Pectoral fin shorter than pelvic fin Second dorsal, anal and caudal fins yellow YTC
27 Jacks 28 Jacks Longfin yellowtail Seriola rivoliana Second dorsal fin four times the height of dorsal fin
YTL Leading edge of pelvic fin and margin of anal fin white Greater amberjack Seriola dumerili Second dorsal fin twice the height of dorsal fin
Extreme tip of lower caudal fin lobe pale or white Tip of pelvic and anal AMB fin lobes white
29 Jacks 30 Jacks Bigeye scad Selar crumenophthalmus Dorsal fins close together
Very large eye
Black spot on operculum
Maximum length: 50 cm BIS Mackerel scad Decapterus macarellus Dorsal fins widely separated
Black blotch on operculum
Maximum length: 40 cm MSD
31 Jacks 32 Jacks Golden trevally Gnathanodon speciosus Dark tips on tail
GLT Juveniles bright yellow with 7–11 black bars. Adults silver with golden belly. Cottonmouth jack Uraspis secunda Adults dark to bluish black. Juveniles with 6-7 dark bands with Inside of mouth and tongue pale interspaces appears bleached-white
USE
33 Jacks 34 Jacks Jacks (other) Carangidae (other)
Uraspis spp.
Carangoides spp. Caranx spp.
Trachinotus spp. Selar spp. Decapterus spp.
Scomberoides spp. Seriola spp. TRE Note: The Carangidae family (jacks) includes 32 genera and about 140 species of highly varied shapes. Jacks are open-water carnivorous fish, usually silvery in colour. Other important species
First dorsal fin Second dorsal fin Finlets Head Snout
Caudal fin
Caudal Operculum keel (gill cover) Lateral line Pectoral fin Anal fin Pelvic fin
35 Other important species 36 Other important species Common dolphinfish; Mahi mahi Coryphaena hippurus Roundish-shaped Common length: 100 cm tooth patch Maximum length: 210 cm on tongue Body depth
Body depth less than 1/4 of standard length Anal fin concave Female Male head shape DOL head shape Pompano dolphinfish Coryphaena equiselis Squarish-shaped Common length: 50 cm tooth patch Maximum length: 75 cm on tongue Body depth
Anal fin straight
Standard length
Body depth more than 1/4 of standard length CFW
37 Other important species 38 Other important species Great barracuda Sphyraena barracuda Second dorsal, anal and caudal fins dark with white tips
Distinctive shaped Black spots (normally) caudal fin GBA Pickhandle barracuda Sphyraena jello
Second dorsal and caudal fins yellowish
Bars are faint, unevenly spaced and go to just below lateral line
BAC
39 Other important species 40 Other important species Blackfin barracuda Sphyraena qenie
Dark caudal fin with black margin Common length: 80 cm Maximum length: 170 cm
Two small knobs at centre Almost straight bars of caudal fin BAB Sawtooth barracuda Sphyraena putnamae
Common length: 60 cm Dark caudal fin Maximum length: 90 cm
Chevron-shaped bars BAN extending well below lateral line
41 Other important species 42 Other important species Sickle pomfret Taractichthys steindachneri
Obviously long first dorsal and anal fins
White margin on caudal fin
Large scales TST Brilliant pomfret Eumegistus illustris
Juvenile (less than 30 cm)
Distinct shape of caudal fin
Large scales EBS
43 Other important species 44 Other important species Pomfrets (other) Bramidae (other) Species in this family have: • Angle of jaw very slanted • Single dorsal fin • Caudal fin of adults strongly forked
Pterycombus spp. Pteraclis spp.
BRZ Taractes spp. Brama spp. Triple tail Lobotes surinamensis Large, rounded posterior lobes of dorsal and anal fins that are equal to caudal fin in size.
LOB
45 Other important species 46 Other important species Rough triggerfish Canthidermis maculatus
Dark body and fins covered with numerous whitish blotches
CNT Unicorn leatherjacket filefish Aluterus monoceros Slender dorsal spine above eye
Body grey with faint spotting ALM
47 Other important species 48 Other important species
Batfish Second bar from front of dorsal fin to ventral fin Platax teira
Dark to faint bar through eye
BAO Large dark blotch above rear edge of ventral fin Slender sunfish Ranzania laevis
Slender body shape
No protruding “tail”
Distinct markings
RZV Maximum length: 80 cm
49 Other important species 50 Other important species
Gemfish & snake mackerels Gempylidae
Species in this family have: • Large mouth with strong teeth • Two dorsal fins, second shorter than first Rexea spp. • Pelvic fin very small, often just a single spine with a few or no soft rays
Rexichthys spp.
GEP Index Acanthocybium solandri...... 14 Dogtooth tuna...... 16 Albacore tuna...... 6 Double-lined mackerel...... 13 Aluterus monoceros...... 47 Elagatis bipinnulata...... 26 Auxis rochei rochei...... 8 Eumegistus illustris...... 43 Auxis thazard thazard...... 9 Euthynnus affinis...... 11 Batfish...... 48 Frigate tuna...... 9 Bigeye scad...... 30 Gemfish & snake mackerels...... 50 Bigeye trevally...... 25 Gempylidae...... 50 Bigeye tuna ...... 3 & 5 Gnathanodon speciosus...... 32 Billfish...... 17 Golden trevally...... 32 Black marlin...... 20 Grammatorcynus bilineatus...... 13 Blackfin barracuda...... 4 Great barracuda...... 38 Blue marlin...... 18 Greater amberjack...... 29 Bramidae (other)...... 44 Gymnosarda unicolor...... 16 Brilliant pomfret...... 43 Istiompax indica...... 20 Bullet tuna...... 8 Istiophorus platypterus...... 23 Canthidermis maculatus...... 46 Jacks...... 24 Caranx sexfasciatus...... 25 Katsuwonus pelamis...... 10 Common dolphinfish...... 36 Kawakawa...... 11 Coryphaena equiselis...... 37 Kingfish...... 27 Coryphaena hippurus...... 36 Lobotes surinamensis...... 45 Cottonmouth jack...... 33 Longfin yellowtail...... 28 Decapterus macarellus...... 31 Longtail tuna...... 7 Mackerel scad...... 31 Sphyraena barracuda...... 38 Mahi mahi...... 36 Sphyraena jello...... 39 Makaira nigricans...... 18 Sphyraena putnamae...... 41 Pickhandle barracuda...... 39 Sphyraena qenie...... 40 Platax teira...... 48 Striped bonito...... 12 Pomfrets (other)...... 44 Striped marlin...... 19 Pompano dolphinfish...... 37 Swordfish...... 21 Rainbow runner...... 26 Taractichthys steindachneri...... 42 Ranzania laevis...... 49 Tetrapturus angustirostris...... 22 Rough triggerfish...... 46 Tetrapturus audax...... 19 Sailfish...... 23 Thunnus alalunga...... 6 Sarda orientalis...... 12 Thunnus albacares...... 2 & 4 Sawtooth barracuda...... 41 Thunnus obesus...... 3 & 5 Scomberomorus commerson...... 15 Thunnus tonggol...... 7 Selar crumenophthalmus...... 30 Triple tail...... 45 Seriola dumerili...... 29 Tuna and other scombrids...... 1 Seriola lalandi...... 27 Unicorn leatherjacket filefish...... 47 Seriola rivoliana...... 28 Uraspis secunda...... 33 Shortbill spearfish...... 22 Wahoo...... 14 Sickle pomfret...... 42 Xiphias gladius...... 21 Skipjack tuna...... 10 Yellowfin tuna...... 2 & 4 Slender sunfish...... 49 Yellowtail amberjack...... 27 Spanish mackerel...... 15
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Prepared for publication at: Pacific Community headquarters, Noumea, New Caledonia New Noumea, headquarters, Community Pacific at: publication for Prepared
Fisheries Conventions and Related Instruments in the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PIOFMP-II) States Developing Island Small Pacific the in Instruments Related and Conventions Fisheries
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and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Program Program Development Nations United the (FAO), Nations United the of Organization Agriculture and Food the and
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