Sciaenid

Sciaenids constitute about 70,000 tonnes of the present demersal catch of the west coast. George, et al. estimated an additional potential of about 90,000 tonnes of sciaenids from the west coast.

In the Indo-West Pacific, sciaenids are important in the equatorial regions of South East Asia but much less so elsewhere.

It can often be difficult to distinguish an individual's call when a hydrophone is lowered into a chorus of sciaenids. Like damselfishes, sciaenids tend to have species-specific sounds (Fig. 9.8).