FISHERIES OF KEY WEST. 7 



ida. It is taken from November to April in this locality and is 

 caught with gill nets, purse seines, and hook and line. It is one of 

 the choicest food fishes taken on the Atlantic coast. A description 

 of the fishery is included elsewhere in this paper. Maximum size, 

 25 pounds, which, however, is very exceptional, as individuals weigh- 

 ing 10 pounds are rare; average size of Key West, fish, 2 pounds. 



Ranqe. — Monhegan (Me.) to Brazil. Not common north of Mary- 

 land. Small quantities taken in lower Chesapeake Bay from June 

 until October: rather common off the North Carolina coast from 

 May until October; most abundant in southern Florida. Distributed 

 throughout the Gulf of Mexico, where its movements are irregular. 

 .Recorded from Jamaica, Porto Rico, and Panama. In Cuba it is 

 rare. Found also on the Pacific coast from California southward. 



10. Scomberomorus regalis (Bloch). Kingfish; Cero; Spotted cero; 

 Sierra ; Pintado. 



The sierra, or kingfish, is a food fish of considerable importance 

 among the Florida keys, but is somewhat less common than S. cavalla, 

 with which it is closely associated. It is caught exclusively by trol- 

 ling from motor or sail boats. The fishing season for this species ex- 

 tends from November to March. The kingfish fishery is described 

 elsewhere in this paper. Maximum weight, about 35 pounds; aver- 

 age, about 5 pounds. 



Range. — Monomoy (Mass.) to Brazil. Uncommon north of 

 Florida ; known from Cuba, Jamaica, Martinique, and Porto Rico. 



11. Scomberomorus cavalla (Cuvier). Kingfish; Cero; Cavalla; 

 Sierra. 



This species is taken during the same season and under the same 

 conditions as is the sierra (S. regalis), but because of its larger size 

 and somewhat greater abundance it is the more important of the two. 

 Considerable confusion has arisen over the common names of these 

 two species, and the terms used appear to be interchangeable. As a 

 rule, however, in the Key West markets S. regalis is known as " king- 

 fish" or "sierra," while 8. cavalla is called "kingfish" or "cero." 

 Maximum weight about 75 pounds, but examples over 50 pounds are 

 comparatively rare. Notwithstanding the many large fish caught, the 

 average weight is only about 7 pounds. 



Range. — Cape Cod to Africa and Brazil. Not common north of 

 North Carolina ; found in open seas of tropical Atlantic. 



12. Seriola dumerili (Risso). Amberfish; Amber jack. 



The amber jack is caught about Key West by trolling and is taken 

 incidentally only during the winter along with the kingfish. It is 

 considered a fine game fish. Its occurrence is irregular, and it appears 

 never to be taken in large numbers in this region. Several hundred 

 were brought to the Key West market during one week in January, 

 1919, and 35 fish were seen during the last week of February of the 

 same year. The fish taken near Key West generally weigh from 20 

 to 70 pounds. In the markets the fish are dressed and cut into 

 steaks for the local trade. Maximum weight, about 100 pounds; 

 average, about 35 pounds. 



