Fish
Fish
Bonefish
Albula vulpes
The Bonefish is a silvery, torpedo-shaped fish of Trinidad and Tobago's shallow coastal flats, prized by anglers worldwide for its speed and wariness, and named for the many small, fine bones embedded in its flesh.
The Bonefish is a silvery, torpedo-shaped fish of Trinidad and Tobago's shallow coastal flats, prized by anglers worldwide for its speed and wariness, and named for the many small, fine bones embedded in its flesh.
Identification
A slender, streamlined fish around 40 to 60 cm long, brilliant silver overall with a slightly dusky back and a small, underslung mouth adapted for feeding on the bottom. Its conical snout and forked tail suit both digging for buried prey and sudden bursts of speed across shallow flats.
Behaviour
Forages over shallow sandy and muddy flats, often in water barely deep enough to cover its back, rooting in the substrate for crabs, shrimp, and small molluscs and sometimes tipping tail-up in a manner similar to a foraging duck. It is extremely wary and fast, capable of explosive bursts of speed when startled, a combination that has made it one of the most sought-after light-tackle sport fish in the world.
Status in T&T
Found on shallow coastal flats around Trinidad and Tobago, supporting a developing catch-and-release sport fishing interest alongside traditional subsistence use. Not considered globally threatened, though sensitive to degradation of shallow flats and mangrove nursery habitat.
Threats
- Degradation of shallow flats and mangrove nursery habitat
