Species Profiles Learn how to identify fish frequently seen in North Carolina's saltwater environments. Fish are categorized by the location where they are most commonly encountered. Occasionally, some of the fish in the offshore group might swim closer to shore and be found where you would expect inshore/coastal fish. Likewise, some of the inshore/coastal fish are as much at home offshore as inshore. Some species that are closely related or commonly mistaken for each other are grouped onto one page (such as flounder or kingfish). Click here to view the list of fish alphabetically by common name. Fish ID Questions? Send a photo, a description, and the location caught to NCFishIDHelp@ncdenr.gov. Invasive Species Lionfish Alert Tiger Shrimp Alert Inshore/Coastal Fish Species Atlantic Bonito Sarda sarda Atlantic Croaker Micropogonius undulatus Atlantic Menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus Atlantic Spadefish Chaetodipterus faber Black Drum Pogonias cromis Black Sea Bass Centropristis striata Bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix Butterfish Peprilus triacanthus Cobia Rachycentron canadum Florida Pompano Trachinotus carolinus Flounder Southern, Summer, and Gulf Flounder Inshore Lizardfish Synodus foetens King Mackerel Scomberomorus cavalla Kingfishes Gulf, Northern, and Southern Kingfish Little Tunny Euthynnus alletteratus Northern Puffer Sphoeroides maculatus Oyster Toadfish Opsanus tau Pigfish Orthopristis chrysoptera Pinfish Lagodon rhomboides Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus Searobins Species in the family Triglidae. Shad American and Hickory Shad Sheepshead Archosargus probatocephalus Silver Perch Bairdiella chrysoura Skates Skate species within the family Rajidae. Spanish Mackerel Scomberomorus maculatus Spot Leiostomus xanthurus Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus Stingrays Family Dasyatidae Striped Bass Morone saxitilis Striped Mullet Mugil cephalus Weakfish Cynoscion regalis Offshore Fish Species Almaco Jack Seriola rivoliana Bank Sea Bass Centropristis ocyurus Bigeye Tuna Thunnus obesus Blackfin Tuna Thunnus atlanticus Blue Marlin Makaira nigricans Bluefin Tuna Thunnus thynnus Blueline Tilefish Caulolatilus microps Dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus Gag Mycteroperca microlepis Gray Triggerfish Balistes capriscus Great Barracuda Sphyraena barracuda Greater Amberjack Seriola dumerili Hogfish Lachnolaimus maximus Knobbed Porgy Calamus nodosus Red Grouper Epinephelus morio Red Porgy Pagrus pagrus Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus Rock Sea Bass Centropristis philadelphica Sailfish Istiophorus platypterus Scamp Mycteroperca phenax Sharks Large Coastal Sharks Skipjack Tuna Katsuwonus pelamis Speckled Hind Epinephelus drummondhayi Spottail Pinfish Diplodus holbrookii Swordfish Xiphias gladius Vermilion Snapper Rhomboplites aurorubens Wahoo Acanthocybium solandri White Grunt Haemulon plumierii White Marlin Kajikia albida Yellowedge Grouper Hyporthodus flavolimbatus Yellowfin Tuna Thunnus albacares Yellowtail Snapper Ocyurus chrysurus
Species Profiles Learn how to identify fish frequently seen in North Carolina's saltwater environments. Fish are categorized by the location where they are most commonly encountered. Occasionally, some of the fish in the offshore group might swim closer to shore and be found where you would expect inshore/coastal fish. Likewise, some of the inshore/coastal fish are as much at home offshore as inshore. Some species that are closely related or commonly mistaken for each other are grouped onto one page (such as flounder or kingfish). Click here to view the list of fish alphabetically by common name. Fish ID Questions? Send a photo, a description, and the location caught to NCFishIDHelp@ncdenr.gov. Invasive Species Lionfish Alert Tiger Shrimp Alert Inshore/Coastal Fish Species Atlantic Bonito Sarda sarda Atlantic Croaker Micropogonius undulatus Atlantic Menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus Atlantic Spadefish Chaetodipterus faber Black Drum Pogonias cromis Black Sea Bass Centropristis striata Bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix Butterfish Peprilus triacanthus Cobia Rachycentron canadum Florida Pompano Trachinotus carolinus Flounder Southern, Summer, and Gulf Flounder Inshore Lizardfish Synodus foetens King Mackerel Scomberomorus cavalla Kingfishes Gulf, Northern, and Southern Kingfish Little Tunny Euthynnus alletteratus Northern Puffer Sphoeroides maculatus Oyster Toadfish Opsanus tau Pigfish Orthopristis chrysoptera Pinfish Lagodon rhomboides Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus Searobins Species in the family Triglidae. Shad American and Hickory Shad Sheepshead Archosargus probatocephalus Silver Perch Bairdiella chrysoura Skates Skate species within the family Rajidae. Spanish Mackerel Scomberomorus maculatus Spot Leiostomus xanthurus Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus Stingrays Family Dasyatidae Striped Bass Morone saxitilis Striped Mullet Mugil cephalus Weakfish Cynoscion regalis Offshore Fish Species Almaco Jack Seriola rivoliana Bank Sea Bass Centropristis ocyurus Bigeye Tuna Thunnus obesus Blackfin Tuna Thunnus atlanticus Blue Marlin Makaira nigricans Bluefin Tuna Thunnus thynnus Blueline Tilefish Caulolatilus microps Dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus Gag Mycteroperca microlepis Gray Triggerfish Balistes capriscus Great Barracuda Sphyraena barracuda Greater Amberjack Seriola dumerili Hogfish Lachnolaimus maximus Knobbed Porgy Calamus nodosus Red Grouper Epinephelus morio Red Porgy Pagrus pagrus Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus Rock Sea Bass Centropristis philadelphica Sailfish Istiophorus platypterus Scamp Mycteroperca phenax Sharks Large Coastal Sharks Skipjack Tuna Katsuwonus pelamis Speckled Hind Epinephelus drummondhayi Spottail Pinfish Diplodus holbrookii Swordfish Xiphias gladius Vermilion Snapper Rhomboplites aurorubens Wahoo Acanthocybium solandri White Grunt Haemulon plumierii White Marlin Kajikia albida Yellowedge Grouper Hyporthodus flavolimbatus Yellowfin Tuna Thunnus albacares Yellowtail Snapper Ocyurus chrysurus
