Speckled Trout still the most popular saltwater species in the US

Speckled trout was the most popular fish caught in the US last year. The species is caught in the Gulf of Mexico and the south Atlantic regions, which have the highest combined concentration of saltwater anglers in the nation. Recreational fishermen in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico pulled in more than 15.6 million speckled trout in 2008. The top catches in other regions were striped bass in the North Atlantic and summer flounder in the Mid-Atlantic, grouper was the most popular species in the Caribbean, black rockfish was number one in the Pacific Northwest and skipjack tuna was tops in the Western Pacific. The top catch along the pacific coast is a fish called chub mackerel. The data on recreational fishing is part of Fisheries of the United States, a detailed annual report on the nation’s commercial and recreational fishing. The report includes landings, export, per capita fish consumption and consumer expenditures for fish products. The full report can be found on-line from NOAA.gov