California Yellowtail
Seriola lalandi

Physical Description

• Large fish, about 6 feet long and up to 90 pounds
• Blue upper body, silver belly, bronze lateral stripe. Blue and silver color helps them camouflage from predators
• Gets its name from its yellow tail. Also has yellow fins

Range

• From southern Washington to Mazatlan, Mexico, including the Gulf of California
• Most commonly encountered from Point Conception, California, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico 

Habitat

• Live near rocky reefs, kelp beds, and offshore islands

Reproduction

• Females can spawn at 2-3 years old
• Younger females spawn once per spawning season (June to October), while older females can spawn multiple times per season
• Females release about 150 eggs at a time, but only 100 are fertilized
• Yellowtail reproduce by broadcast spawning, where the eggs and sperm are released into the water

Diet

• Mackerel, sardines, squid, anchovies, and California flying fish

Predators

• Yellowtail eggs are eaten by mollusks, echinoderms, crabs, and fish
• Subadults are eaten by striped marlin in drift kelp
• Yellowtail adults are eaten by mako sharks, California sea lions, and humans

Interesting Facts

• There are over 40 species of symbiotic parasites that live on the gills and in the guts of yellowtail.
• You may have eaten raw yellowtail in sushi, where it is known instead as hamachi.

Sources: California Sea Grant; Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Photo: David R. Andrew

Scripps scientists Stuart Sandin and Noah Ben-Aderet embarked on a large cooperative project with yellowtail fishermen, where fish were tagged and tracked, and fishermen reported any fish caught wearing a tag. This ambitious tagging project helped determine that there is a yearlong resident population of California yellowtail in San Diego.