A school of large pelagic predator fish (bluefin trevally) sizing up a school of small pelagic prey fish (anchovies)
Pelagic fish live in the pelagic zone of ocean or lake waters—being neither close to the bottom nor near the shore—in contrast with demersal fish that live on or near the bottom, and reef fish that are associated with coral reefs.[1]
The marine pelagic environment is the largest aquatic habitat on Earth, occupying 1,370 million cubic kilometres (330 million cubic miles), and is the habitat for 11% of known fish species. The oceans have a mean depth of 4,000 metres (2.5 miles). About 98% of the total water volume is below 100 metres (330 ft), and 75% is below 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).[2]
Marine pelagic fish can be divided into coastal (inshore) fish and oceanic (offshore) fish. Coastal pelagic fish inhabit the relatively shallow and sunlit waters above the continental shelf, while oceanic pelagic fish inhabit the vast and deep waters beyond the continental shelf (even though they also may swim inshore).[3][4]
Pelagic fish range in size from small coastal forage fish, such as herrings and sardines, to large apex predator oceanic fishes, such as bluefin tuna and oceanic sharks.[1] They are usually agile swimmers with streamlined bodies, capable of sustained cruising on long-distance migrations. Many pelagic fish swim in schools weighing hundreds of tonnes. Others, such as the large ocean sunfish, are solitary.[1] There are also freshwater pelagic fish in some of the larger lakes, such as the Lake Tanganyika sardine.[5]
^ abcLal, Brij V.; Fortune, Kate (2000). The Pacific Islands: An Encyclopedia. University of Hawaii Press. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-8248-2265-1.
^Moyle and Cech, p. 585
^McLintock, A H (ed.) (1966) "Pelagic". Te Ara – The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Accessed: 29 Sep 2022.
^Walrond, Carl. "Oceanic fish". Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Accessed: 29 Sep 2022
Pelagicfish live in the pelagic zone of ocean or lake waters—being neither close to the bottom nor near the shore—in contrast with demersal fish that...
contrasted with demersal fish, which do live on or near the bottom, and coral reef fish. Pelagicfish are often migratory forage fish, which feed on plankton...
fish are bottom feeders. They can be contrasted with pelagicfish, which live and feed away from the bottom in the open water column. Demersal fish fillets...
A fish aggregating (or aggregation) device (FAD) is a man-made object used to attract pelagicfish such as marlin, tuna and mahi-mahi (dolphin fish)....
species. Examples of oily fish include small forage fish such as sardines, herring and anchovies, and other larger pelagicfish such as salmon, trout, tuna...
Convention on the Law of the Sea as highly migratory species. These are large pelagicfish that move in and out of the exclusive economic zones of different nations...
that pelagic coastal fish are generally epipelagic fish, inhabiting the sunlit epipelagic zone. Coastal fish can be contrasted with oceanic fish or offshore...
species, the pelagic thresher typically measures 3 m (10 ft) long. The diet of the pelagic thresher consists mainly of small midwater fishes, which are...
Forage fish, also called prey fish or bait fish, are small pelagicfish that feed on plankton and other tiny organisms. They are preyed on by larger predators...
kingfish. Scomberomorini comprises 21 species across three genera. They are pelagicfish, fast swimmers and predatory in nature, that fight vigorously when caught...
circumtropical pelagicfish". Journal of Biogeography. doi:10.1111/jbi.14135. hdl:11343/298583. Wendy Sweetser (2009). The Connoisseur's Guide to Fish & Seafood...
oceanic bonito, striped tuna or victor fish. It grows up to 1 m (3 ft) in length. It is a cosmopolitan pelagicfish found in tropical and warm-temperate...
Most forage fish are pelagicfish, which means they form their schools in open water, and not on or near the bottom (demersal fish). Forage fish are short-lived...
ocean temperatures and the availability of zooplankton as food. Example pelagicfish are capelin, herring, whiting, mackerel and redfish, There are, however...
tuna has a sleek, streamlined body, and is among the fastest-swimming pelagicfish – the yellowfin tuna, for example, is capable of speeds of up to 75 km/h...
used to fillet tuna at the Tsukiji fish market Halibut fillet (a whitefish) on top of a salmon fillet (a pelagicfish) Packed and iced fillets of grass...
Saltwater fish, also called marine fish or sea fish, are fish that live in seawater. Saltwater fish can swim and live alone or in a large group called...
The ribbonfish are any lampriform fishes in the family Trachipteridae. These pelagicfish are named for their slim, ribbon-like appearance. They are rarely...
300 feet; 550 fathoms). Females are carnivorous and feed upon other pelagicfish (such as lanternfishes and ridgeheads) and cephalopods, as well as shrimp...
belly and the bones are green. Garfish are pelagicfish which live close to the water surface. They eat small fish and have a migratory pattern similar to...
A fish ladder, also known as a fishway, fish pass, fish steps, or fish cannon is a structure on or around artificial and natural barriers (such as dams...
is the only extant species of the family Pomatomidae. It is a marine pelagicfish found around the world in temperate and subtropical waters, except for...
Global Information