banded rudderfish
Seriola zonata
A coastal shelf jack of the western Atlantic, from Canada to Brazil (as far as Santos), with stripes on the body. It has small commercial use.
Also called: olhete-faixado, medregal, banded rudderfish
- maximum
- 75 cm
- record/max.
- 5.2 kg
- depth
- 3–360 m
who is the banded rudderfish
The banded jack belongs to the family Carangidae and reaches 75 cm and 5.2 kg. It is a coastal, benthopelagic species that lives on the continental shelf, from 3 to 360 m. Adults are pelagic or stay near the bottom, always in coastal waters. It feeds on fish and shrimp. It occurs from Canada to Brazil (as far as Santos), including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, and has little use in commercial fishing. It is also of interest to public aquariums.
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 banded rudderfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It feeds on fish and shrimp.
identification
An elongated, spindle-shaped fish with dark bands on the body, which give the species its name. It lives on the shelf, near the bottom or in midwater. To tell it from the yellowtail amberjack (Seriola lalandi) and the greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili), look at the body bands. It lives in shelf coastal waters and feeds on fish and shrimp.
Loading the next 7 days…
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
In Latin America it occurs from Brazil to Mexico, in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, always in coastal waters over the shelf.
Habitat: Coastal continental shelf, 3 to 360 m, near the bottom or in midwater.
coast
rules for the banded rudderfish
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 (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
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.
It is not dangerous to anglers. Since it comes from deeper bottoms, it can suffer barotrauma; release it carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01445, b = 2.93; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). 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: Seriola zonata (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Seriola zonataNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
