
Also known as:
Grey snapper
black snapper
mango snapper
silk
Common Group Name:
Tropical Snappers
Family Name:
Lutjanidae
Genus Name:
Lutjanus
Species Name:
Lutjanus griseus
Dispatch Method:
Beware of the sharp teeth of mangrove snapper when handling them. Their eating qualities can be greatly improved if they are killed humanely by iki jime or a firm knock to the head before placing them in an ice slurry after bleeding.
Fish Description:
- This species is a typical lutjanid shape, gray or greenish above, with reddish /coppery flanks. A darker line runs from the snout through the eye to just below the dorsal fin.
Fish Distribution:
- This species is found throughout the western Atlantic from Massachusetts, USA southward to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.
- Juvenile mangrove snapper are found in a variety of estuarine and inshore habitats, including seagrass beds and mangrove lagoons, including the upper freshwater reaches of estuaries.
- Adults are found offshore on coral or rocky reefs, or wrecks and other artificial structures down to depths of around 600 feet (180 meters).
Fish Size Common Length:
Commonly 8-16 inches (20-40 cm), maximum size around 36 inches (90 cm) and over 25 pounds (12 kg).