black seabass
Centropristis striata
Black sea bass of rocky bottoms and stone jetties on the Atlantic coast of North America, sought after by sport anglers. In Latin America, it is recorded in Mexico.
Also called: garoupa-negra, serrano estriado, black seabass, garoupa-negra
- maximum
- 66 cm
- record/max.
- 4.3 kg
who is the black seabass
The black sea bass belongs to the family Serranidae and reaches 66 cm, weighing up to 4.3 kg. It lives in the western Atlantic, in shallow waters over rocky bottoms and near stone jetties, from Canada to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, and reaches the southern tip of Florida in cold winters. In Latin America, it is recorded in Mexico. It is sought by sport anglers and is also caught commercially. It has a fusiform body and a spiny dorsal fin, typical of the family, and the spines may be venomous.
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 black seabass; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Fusiform, dark-colored body, as the popular name suggests, with the spiny dorsal fin typical of the family. It lives over rocky bottoms and near stone jetties, in shallow waters. It reaches 66 cm, far more than the belted sandfish (garoupa-cintada, Serranus subligarius), which lives on the same coast and reaches 10 cm.
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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
It lives in the western Atlantic, from the coast of Canada to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. In Latin America, it is recorded in Mexico.
Habitat: Shallow waters, over rocky bottoms and stone jetties.
rules for the black seabass
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.
It has venomous spines on its fins, so handle it with care, using thick cloth or pliers.
in the kitchen
It is sold fresh and is usually fried, grilled or baked.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01148, b = 3.04; 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: Centropristis striata (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Centropristis striataNames by country and language.
