Black Rudder Fish 355 



Size: Reaches a length of about 1 1 inches and a weight of 



IV^ pounds. 



General Information: The Harvest Fish is mostly a bay 



species, often found living together with the butterfish. 



Spawning takes place in late spring and early summer. 



Like the butterfish this species eats small fish, crustaceans, 



squid, and worms. 



Economic Importance: A good pan fish. The Harvest Fish 



is taken commercially in the greatest quantity by the pound 



net fisheries in Chesapeake Bay. 



Black Rudder Fish 

 Palinurichthys perciformis (Mitchill) 



Color: Blackish green. 



Distribution: Found from Cape Hatteras to Nova Scotia 

 but most common south of Cape Cod. 

 Size: Reaches a length of almost 14 inches and a weight of 

 \V2 pounds. 



General Information: The Black Rudder Fish is often 

 found under floating wreckage, boxes, barrels, or masses 

 of drifting seaweed. In New York it commonly congre- 

 gates around the offshore traps in the vicinity of Fire 

 Island Inlet. This species feeds on a wide variety of ani- 

 mals including small crustaceans, shellfish, and small fishes. 

 Economic Importance: A good food fish but not plentiful 

 enough to be of commercial importance. 



