Pacific Barracuda, Sphyraena argentea

Pacific Barracuda, Sphyraena argentea. Commercial fish purchased from Ranch 99 Market, San Diego, March 2013. Length: 80 cm (31 inches).

Pacific Barracuda, Sphyraena argentea. Fish caught off the Oceanside Pier, Oceanside, California, December 2015. Length: 46 cm (18 inches). Catch, photography and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, Peoria, Illinois.

Pacific Barracuda, Sphyraena argentea. Fish caught from coastal waters off San Diego, California, September 2013. Length: 71 cm (2 feet 4 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Eli (obsessiveangling.wordpress.com).

The Pacific Barracuda, Sphyraena argentea, is a member of the Barracuda or Sphyraenidae Family, that is also known at the California Barracuda and in Mexico as baracuda plateada. Globally, there are twenty-six species in the genus Sphyraena, of which eight are found in Mexican waters, three in the Atlantic and five in the Pacific Ocean.

The Pacific Barracuda is characterized by their overall barracuda-like appearance, blue-brown backs, series of faint oblique bands above their prominent dark lateral line, and silver ventrally. Their fins have gray rays and yellowish membranes. Their anal fin has 2 spines and 8 to 10 rays and is small and located under the second dorsal; their caudal fin is deeply forked; their first dorsal fin has 5 spines; their second dorsal fin has 1 spine  and 8 to 10 rays; their pectoral fins have 16 rays and are short and located under the first dorsal; and, their pelvic fins have 1 spine and 5 rays and originate well behind the pectoral fins and under the first dorsal fin (a key to identification). They have 1 or 2 gill rakers.

The Pacific Barracuda is found around reefs at depths up to 15 m (50 feet). They can reach a maximum of 1.57 m (5 feet 2 inches).  As of January 1, 2024, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 4.3 kg (9 lbs 8 oz) with the fish caught off Ensenada, Mexico in May 2013. The Pacific Barracuda  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 Pacific Barracuda is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean but has a limited range being found from Cedros Island, Baja California, northward along the central and northwest coasts of Baja.

The Pacific Barracudas can be confused with the Blackfin Barracuda, Sphyraena qenie (dark anal, caudal and dorsal fins, 13 pectoral fin rays, pelvic fins inserted under the pectoral fins and before the first dorsal fin), the Cortez Barracuda, Sphyraena lucasana (pale caudal fin, 16 pectoral fin rays, pelvic fins inserted behind the pectoral fins and under the first dorsal fin), the Mexican Barracuda, Sphyraena ensis (gray caudal fin, 13 pectoral fin rays, pelvic fins inserted under the tips of the pectoral fin and before the first dorsal fin), and the Pelican Barracuda, Sphyraena idiastes (gray caudal fin with dark edges, 13 pectoral fin rays, pelvic fins inserted behind the pectoral fins and under the first dorsal fin).

From a conservation perspective the Pacific Barracuda is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. They were heavily overfished both commercial and recreational fishermen between 1920 and 1970 with significant landing declines but the implementation of strong regulations have stabilized the population. They are sold commercially and common in the Asian Markets of San Diego but in general viewed to be of poor food value.