Fact Sheet: Sea Trout (grey)

Appearance

Sea Trout (grey): Cynoscion regalis

Scientific Name

Cynoscion regalis

Market Forms

Whole, dressed, fillet, fresh or frozen.

Size

Grey sea trout average about 1 to 5 pounds but at maturity can exceed 11 pounds.

Taste/Texture

Finely textured, white meat with a mild, sweet flavor.

Seasonality

Year round.

Nutritional Value

99 Calories (100 grams, 3.5 oz.) 16.7% Protein 3.6% Fat .5% Omega-3

Substitutability

This light fish can be substituted for haddock, cod, rainbow trout or pollock and sea bass, among others.

Folklore

Many people know the sea trout by its nickname,“weakfish”which is derived from its delicate and easily torn mouth tissue. But that painful image aside, the sea trout is known for its beauty, as its slim dark grey body reveals a spectrum of other colors, including shiny purple, lavender, green, blue and copper rounded out by a silvery white underbelly. Belying its outward beauty, sea trout devours smaller fish and shellfish in an attempt to assuage its voracious appetite.

Harvesting

Gill nets, haul seines, pound nets, otter trawls, and purse seines are used by day boats in the commercial fishing of sea trout.

Safety/Quality

Virginia’s waters and products are regulated by federal and state agencies including the FDA, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, insuring that only safe wholesome seafood reaches our customers.