Seriola fasciata
Small bottom-dwelling amberjack, from 55 to about 350 m, moving near banks and the slope. Fights hard for its size and is fished vertically, with jigs and natural bait.
Also called: arabaiana-roliça, arabaiana-branca, lesser amberjack, false amberjack
The lesser amberjack (arabaiana-roliça) is the smallest amberjack in the Atlantic: FishBase gives up to 67.5 cm fork length and 4.6 kg, with the common size around 50 cm. Adults live near the bottom on the outer shelf and the slope, from 55 to 348 m, and juveniles stay in open sea near the surface. They eat squid and fish, and the eggs float. In the western Atlantic it ranges from Massachusetts (USA) to Brazil; its distribution in the eastern Atlantic is uncertain, because for a long time it was confused with Seriola carpenteri. It is fished for subsistence and in sport fishing, usually as a catch by anglers fishing the bottom with jigs or natural bait on banks and shelf breaks. Like other amberjacks, it has a reputation for fighting well beyond its size.
Elongated, not very deep body, slightly flattened, bluish or olive above and silver below, with a yellowish band along the middle of the flank. As in other amberjacks, it usually has a dark band crossing the eye. The soft dorsal has 28 to 33 rays and the anal fin 17 to 20. It is much smaller than the olho-de-boi (Seriola dumerili) and the pitangola (S. rivoliana), which exceed 1 m; telling small amberjacks apart requires checking counts and proportions in an identification guide.
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In the western Atlantic, from Massachusetts (USA) to Brazil; FishBase gives the southern limit at about 30°S. In Brazil it lives on bottoms of 55 to 348 m, on the outer shelf and the slope, and rarely reaches shore fishing.
Habitat: Rocky bottoms, banks and shelf breaks on the outer shelf and upper slope, near the bottom, from 55 to 348 m; juveniles stay near the surface in open sea.
coast
No set season: it lives in deep water, where temperature changes little. What matters is calm seas for vertical fishing and moderate current.
Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Hunts by day and at dusk; in deep water light matters less than the current and where the bait school is.
It lives in cold bottom water; cold fronts affect it little, but the rough seas they bring get in the way.
Small effect on the bottom; the pressure drop before a front usually gives a short peak.
Small effect.
Not very relevant at that depth.
Not applicable at sea.
Less sensitive than rocky-shore fish, but the boat needs to stay still over the bank.
Strong wind and waves get in the way of vertical fishing with a tight line.
Moderate current helps keep the jig and bait near the bank; strong current calls for a heavy sinker.
From 55 to 348 m, according to FishBase; juveniles stay near the surface.
lures
natural baits
accessories
With the jig, work from the bottom up to about 20 m above it, with fast retrieves and pauses; if the current demands it, go up in jig weight.
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667/2026). We found no specific federal minimum size or closed season for the species in Brazil.
On Nicaragua's Caribbean coast, the lesser amberjack (arabaiana-roliça) may not be caught below 25 cm total length. The rule sets minimum catch sizes for fish and mollusks, without separating commercial and sport fishing in the section consulted.
Source: Resolución Ejecutiva PA nº 003-2012 (INPESCA, Nicaragua), item First; La Gaceta nº 66
In sport and recreational fishing in Mexican federal waters, each angler may keep up to 10 marine fish per day, no more than 5 of the same species. The lesser amberjack has no quota of its own in the rule. Fish over the bag limit must go back alive, and a kept fish may not be sold. Anglers fishing from a boat need a Conapesca permit.
If it comes from more than 50 m, it arrives with an inflated swim bladder: release it with a descender, without waiting for it to swim off on its own. Wet hands and a quick photo.
Firm, tasty flesh, good grilled, baked or as steaks. FishBase records reports of ciguatera, as with other amberjacks: avoid eating large specimens caught on Caribbean reefs and check with local fishers.
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01585, b = 2.94; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on field experience from anglers and guides. They are not official data or measurements made for this species and may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the rule and link. Common sizes and weights are ranges around the common length reported by FishBase, with the weight calculated from the length-weight relationship.
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