Spotlight Species: Tautog (Blackfish)
If you like to fish from the shoreline of Fishers Island, you may be familiar with the tautog - also called blackfish. Juveniles find refuge in our eelgrass meadows and adults frequent our rocky shores! So, what is a tautog? Let’s find out!
Fisherman Louie Horn successfully caught a tautog by shore fishing on Fishers Island! PC: Tom Doyen
How do we identify a Tautog?
Identifying a tautog is easy enough once you know what to look for, but make sure you check state laws regarding when these fish can be caught and what sizes are allowed. PC: Tom Doyen
Tautogs are slow fish that make hard underwater structures their home. They can be found around wrecks, pilings, and rock reefs. These structures provide the tautog with protection and ample opportunities to locate prey. Its characteristic puffy lips and strong teeth are well adapted to hunting down, extricating, and crunching through the hard shells of its prey - crabs, mussels, barnacles, and clams.
These fish can start looking a little green as juveniles and grow darker with age, earning them the nickname “blackfish.” The juveniles tend to prefer eelgrass beds over the rocky outcrops in which the mature tautogs can be found.
How is the tautog population doing?
Over the last several decades, scientists observed a decline in the tautog population due to unsustainable overfishing in the North Atlantic [1]. Fishing regulations have helped to reduce tautog mortality caused by overfishing from commercial and recreational fishers. Long Island Sound is currently on track for the goals set out by these regulatory bodies [2].
Eelgrass meadows are particularly interesting to scientists as potential spawning grounds and juvenile habitat for tautog. If this habitat provides young tautogs with a better chance of survival, it is crucial to protect the meadows so this vulnerable population can rebound in Long Island Sound.
Fishing the Tautog
In New York State, regulations restrict tautog fishing in Long Island Sound. It is permitted twice yearly from 1-30 April and 11 Oct-9 Dec [3]. These regulations are subject to change based on new population estimates, so always check the DEC NY website to ensure you are in compliance.
