Black Pomfret

Interesting Info

• The Black Pomfret is a dark, diamond-shaped fish that glides like a kite through coastal waters.
• Young fish are silvery with faint bars and even have pelvic fins, but as they grow these fins disappear and the adults turn deep grey to black.
• They can grow up to 75 cm (30 in) and weigh more than 6 kg (13 lb), although most are smaller, around 30–50 cm (12–20 in).
• In Australia they live across northern waters from Western Australia to Queensland, while globally they range widely through the Indo–Pacific, from East Africa to Japan and the Pacific Islands.
• Juveniles often drift with jellyfish, using the stinging tentacles as a floating shelter from predators.
• By day adults prefer the seabed over muddy or sandy bottoms, but at night they rise up into the water column to feed.
• Their diet is mixed and includes jellyfish, plankton, small fishes, and shrimps.
• Large schools are common, and their dark bodies can shimmer with silvery flashes when they turn together.
• They grow quickly, with females usually maturing around 32 cm and males around 30 cm.
• Spawning seasons vary across their range, but in general they release eggs offshore during warmer months, with eggs and larvae drifting as plankton before settling in coastal nurseries.
• Their lifespan is thought to be about 6–8 years, shorter than many larger pelagic fish but long enough for them to be an important food source in many cultures.
• They are highly valued in Asian markets and are sold fresh, dried, or salted, making them both ecologically and economically important.