Bar jack (Caranx ruber) is a saltwater species recorded in the United States. It is mainly found over reef, at depths of 0–35 m.
Scientific name: Caranx ruber · Water: Saltwater
Size: up to 73 cm
The bar jack is a carangid of clear insular waters and the coral reefs off mainland coasts, recorded from the surface down to 35 m. Its range is the western Atlantic, from New Jersey, Bermuda and the Gulf of Mexico to southern Brazil, throughout the Caribbean Sea and most commonly in the West Indies. It usually occurs in schools that may be spawning groups, occasionally alone, and it feeds on fishes, shrimps and other invertebrates; juveniles frequent areas with algae such as Sargassum. It is easily approached. Maximum length is about 73 cm fork length, commonly about 50 cm total length, and it matures at about 31 cm. It is a commercial species and a gamefish, marketed fresh. Fishing vulnerability is high at 57 of 100 and resilience medium, the price category is medium, and climate vulnerability is very high at 84 of 100. IUCN lists it as least concern.
Caution: large individuals carry a ciguatera risk. Heat, cold and marinating do not remove the toxin, which concentrates in the liver, roe and head, so avoid eating those parts. Seek medical help if numbness, tingling or a reversed sense of hot and cold follows a meal.
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