Almaco Jack

At a glance

Almaco Jack (Seriola rivoliana) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 4 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.

The strictest bag limit is 1 (Georgia); the most generous is 20 (Federal Waters (NOAA)).

Across 3 jurisdictions with stated minimum sizes, the average minimum is 29.0 in (≈ 2 ft 5 in).

Confirmed by 42 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Florida, Texas, and Hawaii the top jurisdictions by observation count.

Notable details

• Found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide, making it one of the most wide-ranging jacks.
• Can reach 90 cm (35 inches) and grows rapidly — a species increasingly farmed in marine aquaculture.
• Known as 'kahala' in Hawaii, where it is a traditional food fish eaten with care due to ciguatera risk.
• Its elongated second dorsal and anal fin lobes are the easiest way to distinguish it from other amberjacks.
• An aggressive open-water predator that herds and chases baitfish to the surface.

Where Almaco Jack are seen

• Florida23 iNat obs
• Texas8 iNat obs
• Hawaii4 iNat obs
• North Carolina3 iNat obs
• Alabama1 iNat obs
• New Jersey1 iNat obs

Jurisdictions with rules for Almaco Jack

• Federal Waters (NOAA)United States · official source
• GeorgiaUnited States · official source
• MarylandUnited States · official source

Background

Almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana) is a game fish of the family Carangidae; they are in the same family as yellowtail and amberjack. They feed, both day and night, on other smaller fish such as baitfish and small squid. The flesh is thick and dense like tuna and can easily pass for white albacore if prepared as sushi.

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Almaco Jack article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.

Other bony fish on CatchRules

• 'OamaMulloidichthys vanicolensis
• Abbott's MorayGymnothorax eurostus
• AkuleSelar crumenophthalmus
• AholeholeKuhlia xenura