Black Sea Bass

Quick Take

• Black sea bass aren't born the sex they'll die as, and the trigger for the switch is stranger than you'd expect. Discover the sex change →
• Despite their name, calling these fish 'black' is often just plain wrong. See their true colors →
• Black sea bass are quietly reshaping a major fishing industry, and not by being fished. Explore the fishing impact →
• Male black sea bass undergo a physical transformation during mating season that goes far beyond color. See mating season changes →

The black sea bass, also known as the blackfish, rock bass, tallywag, bluefish, and black bass, is a popular type of sea bass used in cuisines worldwide. Uniquely decorated and patterned, their skin is considered beautiful and is exhibited even in dishes. They are important recreational and commercial marine fish found along the Atlantic coastlines.

Black Sea Bass Facts

• Black sea bass are not always black. They can have vivid blue or gray colors as well. The juveniles tend to be dusky brown with stripes.
• Black sea bass are born female. Some of them change their sex to male, possibly to fill in for a scarcity of dominant males in their mating groups.
• Black sea bass have been observed to make grunting noises. This is actually the noise that their swim bladders make, which sounds like thumps and grunts.

Classification and Scientific Name

Black sea bass are saltwater fish classified as Centropristis striata. The name Centropristis is derived from Greek, with kentron meaning “a saw” and pristis meaning “sting.” They are a type of true sea bass of the family Serranidae, which is derived from the Latin word serranus meaning “from a saw.”

Other names for them include blackfish, rock bass, bluefish, black bass, and tallywag.

Evolution and History

Black sea bass belong to the family Serranidae, whose oldest fossil records date back to the Eocene period, 55.8 million to 33.9 million years ago.

Their order, Perciformes, can be traced back to the Late Cretaceous period, 100.5 to 66 million years ago.

Appearance

Black sea bass, like most other sea bass, are robust, deep-bodied fish. They have oval-shaped, laterally compressed bodies, large mouths that curve downward, protruding mandibles or lower jaws, and several rows of sharp teeth. These fish also have a triangular area on the roof of their mouth covered in teeth.

Black sea bass have a serrated preopercular margin and spiny gills. Their dorsal fins have multiple spines, while their anal fins have three.

Black sea bass come in various dark colors, such as black, dusky brown, and smoky gray, with paler undersides. Each of their scales has light blue or white spots on it, which collectively look like stripes on their bodies. Their fins are dark with paler, dusky spots on them. Their colors differ based on their sex and age. Younger fish begin light gray with dark spots, then gradually turn darker with white spots, develop long dark stripes, and finally acquire six vertical stripes. Females tend to have a duller color, unlike males, and appear more brownish or bluish-gray.

When the mating season begins, the male black sea bass’s color changes to become fluorescent blue and green around their eyes and other parts, and also develops a bulge on its head called a nuchal hump.

Adult black sea bass can grow 26 inches long and weigh nine pounds, although most food bass are harvested at 1.5 to 3 pounds. Dominant males grow much larger than females and other males.

Behavior

The black sea bass is an avid swimmer. These fish can be found in rocky areas, wrecks, and structured habitats like coral reefs. They like to hide and skulk around these structures and are known to ambush their prey by blending into their background.

Male sea bass are aggressively territorial during the breeding season and chase away other males approaching their breeding space. These fish show their aggression by spreading out their usually lowered dorsal fin.

Diet

Just like all other sea bass, the black sea bass is a carnivorous predator. They are opportunistic feeders and will eat mostly what comes their way and fits into their mouths. Their favorite foods include shrimp, crab, clams, small fish, barnacles, bivalves, and worms.

The typical method of hunting for sea bass includes skulking around the crevices in their coral habitat and ambushing their prey with tremendous speed. their coloring acts as camouflage, shielding them from prey by blending into their surroundings.

Habitat and Population

The black sea bass is a prolific marine fish native to North America, specifically the western zone of the Atlantic Ocean. Its range runs from the Canadian coastline all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico. There are two major stocks of black sea bass: in the mid-Atlantic and in the south Atlantic.

These sea bass like to make their homes in hardy, deep-water structures such as coral reefs, oyster beds, man-made objects, and wrecks. They typically live at depths of 20 to 80 feet in the ocean but have also been observed at depths of up to 540 feet.

Black sea bass are migratory fish. They prefer warmer water and will move accordingly. The fish in the Atlantic Ocean’s northern region tend to move as the seasons change. When the temperatures get warmer, they move to bays and shallow coastal zones, and when it gets cooler in the fall, they move offshore. However, the black sea bass in the southern region of the Atlantic do not migrate as far as their northern Atlantic counterparts.

The black sea bass population in the mid-Atlantic region remains healthy and is managed to prevent overfishing, while the south Atlantic stock is also managed under current regulations, with no recent reports indicating it is below target.

The black sea bass’s conservation status is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and its population is stable.

Reproduction and Lifespan

Sea bass are hermaphroditic animals, and the black sea bass is no different. They are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning that, most times, they start as females, and then some of the larger females switch to males. A shortage of dominant males in the mating pool usually triggers this sex change.

Black sea bass develop very slowly and tend to be late bloomers, reaching sexual maturity at one to three years of age. Mating season timing and duration vary by region: from January through July along some coastal areas, June through October in the Mid-Atlantic, and late summer off New England. Mating takes place in shallow waters. Male sea bass assemble groups of female mates in their territories and guard them jealously from others.

Usually, the larger the female, the more eggs she is likely to produce. They typically produce anywhere from 30,000 to 500,000 eggs per mating season. The eggs hatch into pelagic larvae within 52 to 75 hours, depending on water temperature.

Female black sea bass have an average lifespan of up to eight years, while fish older than nine years are generally rare. However, this species is sometimes known to be able to survive for a maximum of 20 years.

Economic Importance

Black sea bass are important commercial and recreational animals. They are used for sport fishing as well as harvested as market fish. most commercially available black sea bass are sourced from the United States, particularly from the Atlantic coast. Countries featuring black sea bass in their cuisines include China, Thailand, India, and Georgia.

Black sea bass has white, firm yet tender flesh with a flaky texture and is considered a lean protein. It is a very healthy source of protein and Omega-3 fatty acids with a mild, fresh taste. The fish is commonly prepared by frying, boiling, or roasting. Care should be taken when preparing this fish because of the sharp spines on its dorsal fin, which can lead to injury.

Predators and Threats

The black sea bass is preyed upon by larger predatory fish such as the spotted hake, little skate, summer flounder, monkfish, spiny dogfish, weakfish, striped bass, bignose shark, and dusky shark.

The black sea bass is not currently facing any environmental or human activity threats. However, its presence in the North Atlantic is causing concerns in the lobster fishing market due to its notorious predatory consumption of crustaceans.