Unusual Bycatch in the Pink Shrimp Fishery Northern Spearnose Poacher Agonopsis emmelane Whitebarred Prickleback Poroclinus rothrocki Medusafish Icichthys lockingtoni • Snout pointed, two spines at tip • 10 - 12 white bars with brown/black borders • Long dorsal and anal fins • Pelvic fins brown with white edge • Pelvic fins present (Ragfish looks similar, lacks pelvic fins) Bluebarred Prickleback Plechtobranchus evides • Up to 21 bluish bars on back Smootheye Poacher Xeneretmus leiops • 2-3 black spots on rear of dorsal fin • Three spines at tip of snout • Black blotch at front of first dorsal fin • Eye without prominent thorn-like scales Pacific Tomcod Microgadus proximus • First anal fin begins before second dorsal Eel Leptocephalus Anguilliform species • Three dorsal fins • All true eel species have a transparent larval stage • Ribbon-like or leaf-like, often lack most fins Slim Sculpin Radulinus asprellus • Similar to many poachers, but feels more fleshy • Small scales above lateral line Small chin barbel Jack Mackerel Trachurus symmetricus Lepto = Leaf • Similar to Pacific Mackerel, but has a high lateral line with scutes Cephalus = Head Dwarf Wrymouth Lyconectes aleutensis Hatchetfish Sternoptychidae • Scaleless, red to pink colored • Deeply compressed, quarter-sized • Tiny black eyes • Photophores along side of body Mouth nearly vertical Pacific Argentine Argentina sialis Spotted Cusk-eel Chilara taylori • Small mouth, large eye • Dark spots along side, orange around fins/face • Dorsal and anal fins join caudal fin • Adipose fin present. Short dorsal fin Lanternfish Myctophidae • Elongate and moderately compressed • Photophores along body, below lateral line Not a true eel Blackbelly Eelpout Lycodes pacificus Pacific Saury Cololabis saira • Lacks teeth on roof of mouth - similar species have vomerine and palatine teeth • Small mouth, medium-sized eye • Black edges along dorsal fins • Dorsal fin set far back, before 5-6 finlets There are over 30 species of myctophids Sandpaper skate Shiner Perch Threadfin Sculpin Longspine Combfish Bathyraja kincaidii Cygmatogaster aggregata Icelinus filamentosus Zaniolepis latipinnis • Adult skates are excluded by BRDs • Three vertical yellow bars below lateral line • First and second dorsal spines long • First and second dorsal spines long • Skates hatch from egg cases, • Spawns in estuaries • Two rows of scales below 3/4 dorsal spine • Scales fine, skin like sandpaper often called “mermaid’s purses” Skate egg case Also called Poggy Perch This project made possible by the NOAA Fisheries Service through a Section 6 Grant, number: NA18NMF4720098 Design and photographs by Mo Bancroft & Scott Groth (printed 2019).