highfin king croaker
Menticirrhus nasus
Kingfish of coastal waters, bays and the lower part of estuaries in the eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California to Peru. It shows up as bycatch.
Also called: betara-de-nadadeira-alta, berrugata, chano, Highfin king croaker
- maximum
- 53 cm
who is the highfin king croaker
Fish of the family Sciaenidae, with an elongated body, reaching 52.6 cm. Common size of 25 cm. It lives near the bottom, in coastal waters, in bays and the lower part of estuaries, from the Gulf of California to Peru, with records in Central America and Ecuador. It feeds on polychaetes, crustaceans and mollusks. It shows up as fishery bycatch. It is a kingfish, with a protruding snout and lower mouth. The common name highlights the high fin.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the highfin king croaker; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Elongated, spindle-shaped body, with a protruding snout and lower mouth, traits of the kingfish. The common name points to a high fin. It lives in bays and the lower part of estuaries, near the bottom. It reaches 52.6 cm; the elongate kingfish (Menticirrhus elongatus), which shares the coast, reaches 62 cm, and the size difference helps tell them apart.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California to Peru, passing through Central America and Ecuador, in bays and estuaries.
Habitat: Coastal waters, bays and the lower part of estuaries.
rules for the highfin king croaker
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Harmless to people. It is bycatch, so release it quickly and carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00589, b = 3.08; 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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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Menticirrhus nasus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Menticirrhus nasusNames by country and language.
