Information from FAO Species Identification Guide Western Central Atlantic

Scup - Stenotomus chrysops

Diagnostic characters: Body and head deep and compressed. Dorsal profile of head usually with a slight concavity above eye. Posterior nostril slit-like. Mouth terminal and small, the maxilla not reaching to below anterior margin of eye; in both jaws, teeth in front in a row of narrow, close-set incisors; behind front row are villiform incisors; 2 rows of molariform teeth on sides of both jaws, the outside row smaller and more round. Dorsal fin with 12 spines preceded by a small forward-directed spine (that is a projection of the fin-spine support bone), and 12 soft rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 11 soft rays; caudal fin forked. Scales in lateral line 49 to 54. Colour: greyish silvery, usually with 5 or 6 faint dark bars on upper sides, and 12 to 15 indistinct stripes; faint blue irregular spots on head, sides, and fins.

Size: Maximum to 46 cm, common to 25 cm; world game record 1.87 kg.

Habitat, biology, and fisheries: In coastal waters mostly over hard bottoms.Feeds on a variety of hard benthic invertebrates including crabs, sea urchins, bivalves, and gastropods. Caught mostly by otter trawl but also by pound nets and haul seines; significant recreational catches.

Distribution: Nova Scotia to Florida, but rare south of North Carolina.

ChesMMAP Scup Catch By Cruise Map

ChesMMAP Scup Catch By Year Map

NEAMAP Scup Catch By Cruise Map

NEAMAP Scup Catch By Year Maps: