How do wahoo reproduce

Like most other oceanic pelagic fish, wahoo are a fast growing, short lived species. A recent study found the average lifespan of wahoo was less than two years, with the size at maturity being 92cm for female fish, a size achieved in their first seven months of life.

One tagged fish in the Caribbean grew 10kg in 10 months while the largest wahoo over 1. This phenomenal growth is fuelled by a diet consisting almost entirely of fish, particularly pelagic baitfish, but also small tunas, flying fish, and squid. Spawning may be restricted to specific areas and times, however, few details are known. Wahoo have quite high fecundity, with over 6 million eggs per batch spawning being estimated for a cm long, year old female, and up to million eggs per season from larger females.

Besides their sweet eating qualities, wahoo are renowned for their speed. Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: The authorized gear types in the fisheries for wahoo in the Atlantic include the automatic reel, bandit gear, handline, pelagic longline, rod and reel, and spearfishing gear including powerheads.

Longlines can incidentally catch sea turtles, marine mammals, and other species. Longline fishermen must use specific hooks and bait and must follow safe handling and release guidelines to prevent this bycatch.

Fishing is prohibited in certain areas to protect species such as billfish. Recreational fishery: Atlantic wahoo is a popular fish for recreational fishermen. In , recreational landings of Atlantic wahoo totaled more than 1. Daily bag limits. Prohibition on the sale of recreational catch without approriate permits. Recreational Fishing Regulations.

Commercial Fishing Regulations. Subsistence Fishing Regulations. Science Overview. PDF Metadata Shapefile. Google Earth File Shapefile. View More. The wahoo is targeted heavily by sports fishers and is captured, in fisheries targeting other species, occasionally in very high numbers.

It is a commercially important species, but is generally not the primary target of the fisheries that utilize it. Though landings of the wahoo can be very high in some places, its high reproductive output and fast growth rate have buffered it from overfishing.

Scientists believe that the populations are stable and have assessed this species as one of least conservation concern. Click here or below to download hands-on marine science activities for kids. Protect Habitat. View All. We have already protected nearly 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.

Sign up today to get weekly updates and action alerts from Oceana. Ocean Fishes Wahoo Acanthocybium Solandri.