13 Types Of Fish In The Gulf Of Mexico (With Pictures)

Gulfs can be linked-to oceans via small stretches of water known as Straits. Gulfs are also characterized by wide openings and can be unrecognizable from more extensive bodies of water. They are also a great place to swim.

The Gulf of Mexico, bordered by the United States, Mexico, and the island state of Cuba, is the enormous Gulf in the world. Its coastline is around 5,000 km (3,100 miles). It is located in the Persian Gulf and is an arm of the Arabian Sea bordered by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman.

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Two massive rivers are the Mississippi within the U.S., and the Grijalva in Mexico are empty to the Gulf. Chemicals used in industrial and agricultural use have soaked into the water, causing it to make one of the dead zones on earth. The first European to study this area of the Gulf of Mexico was Amerigo Vespucci in 1497.

He traveled through the Central American coast and the Gulf in his journey toward the Straits of Florida. From there, was Gulf became further investigated by different Europeans during the 1500s. Many made it to the Gulf without difficulty, but many didn’t, leading to a myriad of wrecks within the Gulf.

One of the main reasons the Gulf is prone to storms is warm currents from the Gulf to feed Atlantic hurricanes. With climate change increasing temperatures and causing more hurricanes, we can expect them to become more frequent in their intensity.

The Gulf is often seen as a popular tourist destination due to the expansive beaches and the possibility of recreational diving. In addition to the richness of the coral reefs found in the Gulf, various creatures reside in the Gulf because of Atlantic currents. The Gulf was the main trade route for people of the Incans and Mayans who lived in the Yucatan peninsula and its adjacent regions.

1. King Mackerel

King mackerel, also known as kingfish, are migratory mackerel species that live in the western Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. From Massachusetts to Brazil, king mackerel can be found in the Atlantic Ocean.

King mackerel have an iron-gray back and a silvery belly. King mackerel are carnivores and eat fish, squid, shrimp, and other small animals. These fishes average between 19.7 and 35.4 inches in length and weigh between 5 and 14 kg. King mackerel are found in depths between 12-45 m and 40-150 ft, where the central fisheries are.

2. Spanish Mackerel

Scomberomorini, a group of ray-finned saltwater bone fishes, is the Spanish mackerels. Spanish mackerel are characterized by a greenish belly and a silver-colored back.

Adult Spanish mackerel consume mainly smaller fish like herrings, jacks, and sardines. Spanish mackerel can grow to a size range of 8-11 lbs and a weight of 38-38 kg. Spanish mackerel are found throughout the Indo-West Pacific region. They live in tropical and subtropical waters.

3. Tripletail

The Atlantic tripletail, or tripletail, is a warm-water marine fish found in the tropics. . The color can range from nearly black to reddish-bronze, yellow, or mottled. They eat various foods, but mainly small finfish like gulf menhaden.

They can reach lengths of 3 feet, weigh between 30 and 50 pounds, and weigh between 2.2 to 15.4 pounds. You can find the tripletail along the coast of most tropical and subtropical oceans.

4. Sharks

Sharks are an elasmobranch group of fish with a cartilaginous structure, five to seven-gill openings on each side of the head, and pectoral fins. The skin is usually dull gray, rugged, and covered with toothlike scales.

Sharks prefer to eat smaller fish and invertebrates. The majority of sharks are between 680 to 1,800 kg in weight and approximately the same size as humans. Sharks can be found in shallow and deep ocean environments and marine, coastal, and oceanic environments around the globe.

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5. Jack Crevalle

The crevalle jack is prey of various surface-feeding carnivores such as seabirds and finfish. They live in the Atlantic Ocean’s temperate waters. The color of the crevalle jack ranges from brassy green to a blue or bluish-black dorsally.

Jack crevalle is best eaten raw and most commonly prepared as ceviche (or sashimi). A crevalle jack can grow to a maximum of 39.8 inches in length and 32 kilograms in weight. Crevalle jacks can be found in riverine, estuarine, and oceanic environments.

6. Sailfish

Sailfish is the fastest fish in the ocean, and it can travel up to 68 miles an hour. It is a deep-blue fish with a silvery bottom and a bright spotted dorsal. They eat large amounts of bony fishes and crustaceans, and squid.

Sailfish cannot grow more than 3m (10ft) in height and weigh up to 55kg. They can be found in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific and throughout the warm and temperate oceans.

7. Wahoo

Wahoo, a scombrid fish, found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide, is called Wahoo. These fish are the result of the first European explorers to Hawaii. The silvery-colored scales of this fish are paired with a dark, blue, greenback.

The flanks of the fish have light blue stripes and bars. Wahoos eat mainly other pelagic fishes as well as squid. Atlantic wahoo can increase, reaching 8 feet and weighing 180 pounds. Wahoos can be found in tropical and subtropical water around the globe.

8. Cobia

Cobia is a caring form species of marine fish, and it is the only representative of Rachycentridae and the genus Rachycentron. They can be found in the tropical waters of the West and East Atlantic Oceans.

Cobia is dark brown and has a single dorsal tail. Cobia eats mainly shrimp and crabs, but they also eat squid or smaller fish. They can grow to 6 feet tall and weigh up to 78kg.

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9. Speckled trout

Spotted seatrout, also known as speckled trout, is one of the most sought-after sport fish on the Texas coast. The yellow spots on their fish are a result of their olive-green backs.

Smaller crustaceans are the primary food source for small trout, and they average between 15 and 25 inches in size. They can be found along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, from Maryland to Florida in the southern United States.

10. Ling

Common ling is also called the white ling or the ling. It is a prominent member of the family Lotidae, which includes cod-like fishes. They are found in the deep north near Iceland, Britain, and Scandinavia.

The ling is a marbled, greenish-brown fish with a reddish-brown upper portion. Ling is a versatile fish with firm flesh and is considered very healthy. The ling can grow up to 2m in length and weigh more than 80 pounds (35kg). Ling prefers a place with large stones and crevices to hide.

11. Amberjack

Amberjack is an Atlantic- and Pacific fish belonging to the genus Seriola in the Carangidae family. It’s native to the northwest Pacific Ocean from Korea to Hawaii. Amberjacks have a dark amber stripe on their heads.

Their lives are spent eating crabs, squid, small fish, and other small fish found around reefs. Greater amberjacks can reach 6 feet in length and 200 pounds. They are usually found deep under the seafloor, between 20 and 75 meters.

12. Redfish

Redfish is well-known seafood that is excellent as lobster bait. Reddish is distinguished by its red head and body, while the belly is silvery. Redfish eat shrimp, blue crabs, and mullet from the South, as well as any lure.

They can grow to be anywhere from 10 to 17 inches in length. They are found in the estuaries of the eastern seaboard, gulf coast, and surrounding areas.

13. Sheepshead

Sheepshead is a large, slender fish with a tight body and a high forehead. The sheepshead can be found along the coast of the western Atlantic. The adult sheepshead is a silvery-greenish-yellow color with an olive back.

The sheepshead fish will eat any soft-bodied food they find, including bryozoan moss animals and marine worms. The average sheepshead is 14-18 inches in length and weighs 1.4-1.8 kg. They can be found near brackish and saltwater coast waters, such as piers, pilings, and shipwrecks.

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