11-06-2004, 09:20 PM
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Division of
Fish and Wildlife has certified a new state record triggerfish.
Charles Donnelly of Little Egg Harbor caught the 4 pound, 8 ounce
triggerfish in Great Bay on October 6. It weighed 6 ounces more than
the previous record taken from Great Egg Harbor Bay on September 12.
Donnelly anchored his boat and was bait fishing with clams when he
caught the record fish on 10-pound test line. It measured 18 inches in
length.
Triggerfish have a flat, compressed body with a shape somewhere between
round and rectangular. They are often very colorful. Triggerfish sport
three dorsal (back) spines; the first of which is the longest and
thickest. When in danger, the normally solitary triggerfish will seek
safety in a small cave or crevice within a reef, raise their dorsal
spine, and wedge themselves firmly in place.
The species is named for the interlocking arrangement of the bases of
the three dorsal spines so that the first can be fixed in an erect
position. If one depresses the second or "trigger" spine, the locking
mechanism on the longer first spine is released.
A triggerfish's diet consists of hard-bodied prey including scallops,
clams, barnacles and sand dollars. These fish are equipped with
extremely powerful jaw muscles and teeth that are used to crush their
prey.
Preferred habitats for this species in New Jersey include wrecks, reefs
and along bay sod banks. Triggerfish are often caught by anglers and are
excellent to eat.
The Record Fish Program honors the largest species of fish caught in
the state. It revolves around a specific list of eligible freshwater
and saltwater species, and is based on weight alone; there are no line
classes. Scale certification documentation, specifically the
Certificate of Inspection / Test Report and Registration Certificate
issued by the New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures as well as a
weighmaster's signature are necessary. Other rules apply.
For more information or to request an application, call (609) 633-7768.
Visit the DEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife web site at
www.njfishandwildlife.com for a complete list of state record fish.
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Fish and Wildlife has certified a new state record triggerfish.
Charles Donnelly of Little Egg Harbor caught the 4 pound, 8 ounce
triggerfish in Great Bay on October 6. It weighed 6 ounces more than
the previous record taken from Great Egg Harbor Bay on September 12.
Donnelly anchored his boat and was bait fishing with clams when he
caught the record fish on 10-pound test line. It measured 18 inches in
length.
Triggerfish have a flat, compressed body with a shape somewhere between
round and rectangular. They are often very colorful. Triggerfish sport
three dorsal (back) spines; the first of which is the longest and
thickest. When in danger, the normally solitary triggerfish will seek
safety in a small cave or crevice within a reef, raise their dorsal
spine, and wedge themselves firmly in place.
The species is named for the interlocking arrangement of the bases of
the three dorsal spines so that the first can be fixed in an erect
position. If one depresses the second or "trigger" spine, the locking
mechanism on the longer first spine is released.
A triggerfish's diet consists of hard-bodied prey including scallops,
clams, barnacles and sand dollars. These fish are equipped with
extremely powerful jaw muscles and teeth that are used to crush their
prey.
Preferred habitats for this species in New Jersey include wrecks, reefs
and along bay sod banks. Triggerfish are often caught by anglers and are
excellent to eat.
The Record Fish Program honors the largest species of fish caught in
the state. It revolves around a specific list of eligible freshwater
and saltwater species, and is based on weight alone; there are no line
classes. Scale certification documentation, specifically the
Certificate of Inspection / Test Report and Registration Certificate
issued by the New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures as well as a
weighmaster's signature are necessary. Other rules apply.
For more information or to request an application, call (609) 633-7768.
Visit the DEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife web site at
www.njfishandwildlife.com for a complete list of state record fish.
[signature]