About Cynoscion regalis (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Cynoscion regalis, commonly known as the weakfish, is a marine ray-finned fish that belongs to the Sciaenidae family, which includes drums and croakers. It is a medium-large, slender marine fish that lives along the east coast of North America, ranging from Nova Scotia, Canada to northern Florida, where it is targeted for both commercial and recreational fishing. This species has also become an established introduced population in the Gulf of Cadiz in the eastern Atlantic; this introduced population was first recorded in 2011, when a caught specimen was initially misidentified as Cynoscion nebulosus, and the population is now well established. The head and back of this fish are dark brown with a greenish tinge. Its sides have a faint silvery color with dusky specks, and its belly is white. Its common name comes from the weakness of its mouth muscles, which frequently allow a hook to tear free, letting the fish escape. The weakfish can grow up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) in length and reach a weight of 9 kilograms (20 pounds). It is the state fish of Delaware.
