Saltwater fish In Malaysia

Saltwater fish

Apart from the main target species many other exciting species can be fished around the same areas. These include Cobia, Grouper, Snapper, Queenfish, Jacks and Sharks. With over 700 recorded species of fish in Malaysian waters, surprises very often pop up.

 

Marlin

Long powerful slightly compressed body rising rapidly to the top of the head. The upper jaw is elongated to form a long, slender lance or spear. There are 2 dorsal fins, the first is long and initially high, the second smaller and composed of six or seven rays. There are also two anal fins while the pectoral fins are stiff and cannot be folded against the body. Colouration is typically blue-black on the back becoming silver white on the flanks below the lateral line. SIZE Although known to exceed 700 kg in other parts of the world, the Black Marlin in Malaysia usually ranges between 50 kg and 150 kg.

  

 

 

 

Sailfish

Long and slender body with elongated upper jaw forming a lance or spear. No mistaking the massive sail-like first dorsal fin of cobalt blue with black spots. Colouration disappears if out of water for more than a couple of minutes.SIZE 20 to 60 kg.

 

 

Yellow Fin Tuna (Thunnus albacares)Typical tuna with huge, uniform, elongated body. Long crescent shaped bright yellow second dorsal and anal fin. Golden yellow finlets with black tips run from second dorsal fin and anal fin to tail. Metallic dark blue in colour on the back to silvery white flanks and belly. SIZE Specimens exceeding 100 kg have been taken in Malaysian waters. Common sizes average 20-40 kg.

 

Wahoo

Very long slender body slightly compressed on the flanks. Long head terminates in a pointed snout with a movable jaw. The mouth is full of sharp pointed teeth. The first dorsal is long and can be folded into a groove on the back. The second dorsal fin and the anal fin are small and followed by finlets to the tail. The back is a brilliant metallic blue colour with bright blue vertical bands running to the silver flanks and belly. SIZE In excess of 50kg, more common around 15-20 kg.

 

 

Barracuda

Long cylindrical body will long pointed snout and a mouth full of canine teeth. First dorsal fin has 5 spines and the second 10 soft rays. Irregular dark blotches are common on the lower flanks. Colouration varies from greyish to greenish brown on the back to silvery flanks and belly. Two distinct types are found in Malaysian waters; one a yellow tipped tail, the other a black tipped tail. SIZE Specimens of over 40kg have been taken in Malaysian waters. However, 5- 15 kg is a common range.

 

 

Mackerel

OTHER NAMES Tenggiri, Tanguigue, Giant Mackerel
Elongated body slightly compressed on the flanks. Pointed snout with large mouth and big strong teeth. Two dorsal fins close together, the first are long and low, the second short and taller. Dorsal and anal fins followed by 8-10 finlets. Back dark blue in colour with lower flanks and belly being silvery. Flanks also have irregular vertical wavy stripes. SIZE Up to 25 kg in Malaysian waters.

 

 

 

Grouper

The Serranidae is large and important family of fish, consisting of more than 375 species. These are mostly temperate and tropical marine fish, ranging size from less than 30 cm (12 in) to about 3.7 m (12 ft), and are found near rocks, reef, wrecks, and piers in coastal waters. The larger members of the family are robust, sharp-toothed, basslike fish, which live near the bottom and feed on fish, crustaceans, and shell fish. They tend to be solitary rather than schooling, except at spawning time, and the individuals of many species change sex as they grow: they mature and breed as females, and become males when grow older and larger.

 

Dorado

Wrasse belongs to the Labridae family, which has more than 400 members distributed widely in coastal tropical and temperate waters. A typical wrasse has thick lips and strong teeth, which it uses to crush shellfish, and swims by flapping its pectoral fins rather than using its tail. Wrasse range in size from small species about 10 cm (4 in) long up to 2.3 m (7 ft 6 in) giant maori wrasse of Indo-Pacific waters. The dolphinfish a.k.a dorado is one of the two members of the Coryphaenidae family.

 

Snapper

Most of the 230 or so species of snapper that make up the Lutjanidae family are found in tropical seas, but a few also occur in warm-temperate waters. They are predatory fish, with sharp, conical teeth, including one or two canine teeth on either side of the front of each jaw. These canine teeth help to distinguish the snappers from the groupers, many species of which are similar in overall appearance. Large numbers of snapper are taken in shallow coastal waters and over reefs by anglers and spearfishers, and some species are fished for commercially.

 

 

Cobia

The cobia, the only member of the Rachycentridae family, is a prized gamefish. It is also fished for commercially for its fine flesh but not here in Malaysia, which is often sold smoke. 

 

 

Snook & Barramundi

Snook and barramundi belong to the Centropomidae family, which contains about 30 species. Some of the Centropomidae are exclusively marine, others are marine but move into brackish water and even into rivers; some live in rivers and spawn in brackish estuaries, while a few are found only in freshwater.

 

 

 

Source