White Seabass, Atractoscion nobilis

White Seabass, Atractoscion nobilis, Juvenile. Underwater photograph taken in coastal waters off La Jolla, California, September 2017. Photograph courtesy of Bob Hillis, Ivins, Utah.

White Seabass, Atractoscion nobilis. Two beautiful fish caught off the Golden Reef, 22 miles east of Puertecitos, Baja California, January 2014, with Captain José Maria (Joe) Valdez Morales. Length: 1.40 m (4 feet 7 inches). Weight: 12.7 kg (28 lbs) each. Photograph courtesy of Genaro Calderon, Mexicali, Baja California.

White Seabass, Atractoscion nobilis. Beautiful fish caught off the Golden Reef, 22 miles east of Puertecitos, Baja California, April 2017. Photograph courtesy of Genaro Calderon, Mexicali, Baja California.

White Seabass, Atractoscion nobilis. Fish caught from coastal waters off Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos, Baja California Sur, July 2016.  Length: 71 cm (2 feet 4 inches). Weight: 7.2 kg (16 lbs). Catch courtesy of Jesus Camacho, Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos.

White Seabass, Atractoscion nobilis. Fish caught from coastal waters off Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos, Baja California Sur, May 2017.  Length: 1.04 m (3 feet 5 inches). Weight: 11 kg (24 lbs). Catch courtesy of Jimmy Camacho, Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos.

White Seabass, Atractoscion nobilis. Fish caught from within the estuary of the northern portion of the Magdalena Bay complex, Baja California Sur, November 2022. Excellent illustration of the elongated head which allows for a rapid identification and a separation from a Shortfin Corvina. Catch and photograph courtesy of Jonathan Wexler, Denver, Colorado.

The White Seabass, Atractoscion nobilis, is a member the Croaker or Sciaenidae Family, and is known in Mexico as corvina cabaicucho. Globally, there is only two species in the genus Atractoscion, and only one is found in Mexican waters, this species, in the Pacific Ocean.

The White Seabass has elongated fusiform compressed body with an oval cross-section. They have a gray-blue to copper coloration on their back, dark specks on their sides, and a silvery belly. They have a black spot at the base of their pectoral fin. Their fins are dusky yellow. Their head has a weakly oblique large mouth that lacks canines, a slightly projecting lower jaw that opens in the front, moderately-sized eyes, and gill covers with a smooth edge. Their anal fin has 2 short spines and 9 or 10 rays; their caudal fin has a straight to slightly concave margin; their first dorsal fin has 10 or 11 spines, a notch, and the second dorsal fin has a long base and 21 or 22 rays; and, their pectoral fins and pelvic fins are short. They feature a raised ridge along the length of their belly. They have 13 to 18 gill rakers Their body is covered with scales.

The White Seabass is the largest Croaker found in California waters. They are a schooling species found demersal over rocky bottoms, including the surf zone, and in kelp beds at depths up to 122 m (400 feet). They reach a maximum 1.66 m (5 feet 6 inches) in length. As of January 1, 2024, the International Game Fish Association world record for length stood at 91 cm (3 feet 0 inches) with the fish caught from coastal waters off Santa Barbara Island, California in June 2013. The corresponding world record for weight stood at 38 kg (83 lbs 12 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off San Felipe, Baja California in 1953. There is also a report of a  93 lbs 4 oz fish being caught by a spear fishermen in California waters. They are voracious ambush predators feeding on small fish and squid. The White Seabass is poorly studied with very limited information available about their lifestyle and behavioral patterns including specific details on age, growth, longevity, movement patterns, diet, habitat use, and reproduction.

The White Seabass is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean and are found from Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, northward along the southwest, central and northwest coasts of Baja being rare in the southern regions of this range. The fish photographed above documents the southerly range extension for this species. They are also present in the Sea of Cortez ranging from Loreto, Baja California Sur, northward.

The White Seabass can be confused with the Gulf Corvina, Cynoscion othonopterus (silver blue dorsally with dark spots on sides; mouth ending before rear of eyes), the Queenfish, Seriphus politus (wide gap between dorsal fins), the Shortfin Corvina, Cynoscion parvipinnis (one or two canine teeth on each side of upper jaw), and the Totoaba, Totoaba macdonaldi (sharp snout; projecting lower jaw; large mouth; pointed caudal fin; silver and dark fins; no ridge under belly).

From a conservation perspective the White Seabass is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. They are a targeted species of recreational anglers normally caught with live bait but are also taken by spear fishermen. Historically, they were also targeted by commercial fishermen. They have been heavily overfished and adversely affected by pollution and habitat destruction with significant population declines and range reductions. They are now heavily regulated which has stabilized current population levels. They are considered an excellent food fish.