lack sea bass, Centropristis striata, a true sea bass of the serranidae family, occur off the Eastern seaboard from Cape Cod to Cape Canaveral. Consisting of two seperate stocks, one residing north and the other south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The northern group of black sea bass winter along the banks off Virginia and Maryland, then migrate north and west into the major coastal bays; residing around reefs, oyster beds and wrecks.

Black Seabass are protogynous hermaphrodites meaning they begin life as females and later transform into males. Transformation from female to male generally occurs between ages 2 and 5. The Black Seabass feeds primarily on shrimp, crabs and other mollusks, which produces an intricately flavored sweet white meat.
The principal commercial fishing gear used to catch black sea bass are otter trawls and fish pots in the Chesapeake Bay area and as the fish move into New England, rod and reel fishermen begin to target them.

This is the most highly prized of all fish in New York Chinatown where they are steamed or deep-fried.

Prime quality black seabass are available during fall and winter months; first from the New England rod and reel fishery during fall then during winter as the fish migrate south the pot fishery of the mid-Atlantic begins to be the most productive.

Cautions:
Sustainable:
Recipes: Coming Soon