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See the fishing tripsThe Mutton Snapper
May to August
45 cm
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The Mutton Snapper belongs to the Lutjanidae family. They have an average length of 50 cm for an average weight of 4.5 kg. They have a lifespan of 14 years old. They spawn in February or in the summer according to the location. The best time to catch them is from May to August.
This snapper is a relatively deep fish, with an almost lunar tail. It has a moderately bi-lobed dorsal fin and a very sharp anal fin. The pectoral fin of this snapper is long and is located just after the anal origin. Sheep snappers are very colorful: olive green on the back and on the upper sides, with a red tinge on the lower and lower sides. There is a distinct black spot on the upper back and blue stripes on the cheek area under the eye. There are two phases of color, which is prohibited when the fish is at rest and the solid color when the fish is swimming. The anal fin is sharp and there is a little black spot below the dorsal fin.
The Mutton Snapper lifestyle
The snapper's eating habits change over the course of its life. Larval snappers consume plankton near the water surface. As they settle in shallow beds, they begin to feed on larger plankton and small invertebrates. The diet then switches to shrimp, crabs, snail and small fish, such as mullet and small grunts.
All snappers are oviparous; they release pelagic eggs that move freely with water currents. The number of eggs depends on the size of the female. After spawning, adult fish move to deeper waters. At lengths less than 10 mm, larvae tend to be planktonic. Little is known about the development of larvae. They eventually settle in suitable habitat that provides some protection from predators. Juveniles have been described as having green/brown side strips and transparent fins with a length of 15 mm.
The Mutton Snapper habitat
Large adults are found in or near reef and rocky rubble habitats off the coast, while juveniles live in coastal areas. Juveniles are abundant in shallow waters such as mangrove tidal streams, canals and protected shallow bays, using turtle grass as the lower cover. Solitary adults can be found among rocks and reefs, while juveniles are found on sandy or grassy bottoms. These fish can be found at depths ranging from 25 to 95 m.
The snapper is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, from Massachusetts to Brazil, but is more common in the tropical waters of Florida, the Bahamas and the Caribbean Sea. It is also found in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Mutton Snapper angling
The main methods of fishing it include boat seines, gillnets, bottom longlines, hand lines, traps and harpoon fishing.
