Species profile
Greater Amberjack
Seriola dumerili
At a glance
Greater Amberjack (Seriola dumerili) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 8 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
Bag limits are uniform at 1 per angler across the 6 regulating jurisdictions.
Across 6 jurisdictions with stated minimum sizes, the average minimum is 35.5 in (≈ 2 ft 12 in).
Confirmed by 115 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Florida, Hawaii, and Massachusetts the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Greater amberjack can exceed 100 pounds; the all-tackle record is over 155 pounds.
- They are strongly associated with offshore wrecks, reefs, buoys, and other structures.
- Juveniles often shelter beneath floating debris and sargassum weed far offshore.
- Large individuals can carry ciguatoxin, making them potentially dangerous to eat.
- Anglers prize them as one of the hardest-fighting fish in the Atlantic.
Where Greater Amberjack are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Greater Amberjack
Background
The greater amberjack, also known as the allied kingfish, great amberfish, greater yellowtail, jenny lind, sea donkey, purplish amberjack, reef donkey, rock salmon, sailors choice, yellowtail, and yellow trevally, is a species of predatory ray-finned fish in the family Carangidae, the jacks and pompanos. It is found in temperate, subtropical, and tropical seas around the world. It is a popular…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Greater Amberjack article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.