Yellowtail

The Yellowtail (Seriola lalandi), also called yellowtail amberjack or yellowtail kingfish, is a large pelagic jack in the family Carangidae found in temperate coastal waters around the world, including the eastern Pacific, southern Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and parts of the western Pacific. It is closely related to the greater amberjack and almaco jack within the genus Seriola. Yellowtail are fast, powerful swimmers adapted to open coastal and offshore pelagic environments rather than fixed reef structure. The species supports significant recreational fisheries across its range, with populations generally considered stable to healthy in most managed regions.

Yellowtail are large, streamlined jacks reaching 60-100 cm or more, identified by:

• A bold yellow lateral stripe running the length of the body from head to tail
• Bright yellow coloration on the tail fin
• Metallic blue-green back transitioning to silvery sides and a white belly
• A long, torpedo-shaped body built for sustained fast swimming
• Moderately forked tail fin

The combination of the yellow lateral stripe and yellow tail reliably separates it from other Seriola species such as the greater amberjack, which lacks this distinct yellow banding.

Yellowtail inhabit temperate to subtropical coastal waters in several disconnected populations worldwide, including the eastern Pacific from California to Chile, southern Australia and New Zealand, South Africa, and parts of the western Pacific and Sea of Japan. They favor open coastal waters, rocky points, kelp forest edges, and offshore banks, ranging from near the surface to depths of over 100 meters. This species is highly migratory, following seasonal temperature changes along coastlines, and prefers cooler, temperate marine conditions compared to many of its tropical Seriola relatives.

Yellowtail are fast, powerful, schooling predators that pursue baitfish, squid, and crustaceans in open coastal and offshore waters, often forming large aggregations while foraging or migrating. They undertake seasonal migrations tied to water temperature, moving toward warmer waters in cooler months and returning to feeding grounds as conditions warm. Spawning occurs offshore in warmer seasons, with pelagic eggs and larvae drifting in open water before juveniles move toward nearshore habitats. As active mid- to upper-level predators, Yellowtail play an important role in structuring coastal pelagic food webs across their temperate range.