Scup

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This article is about a type of fish. For the organization whose acronym is SCUP, see Society for College and University Planning.
Scup
Stenotomus chrysops
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Sparidae
Genus: Stenotomus
Species: S. chrysops
Binomial name
Stenotomus chrysops
(Linnaeus, 1766)
Flash fried whole scup. Scup is often referred to as a pan fish, as its small size is suitable for pan frying or sautéing.

The scup, Stenotomus chrysops, is a fish which occurs primarily in the Atlantic from Massachusetts to South Carolina. Along with many other fish of the family Sparidae, it is also commonly known as porgy.

Scup grow as large as 18 in (450 mm) and weigh 3 to 4 lb (2 kg), but they average ½–1 lb (0.25–0.5 kg).

In the Middle Atlantic Bight, scup spawn along the inner continental shelf. Their larvae end up in inshore waters, along the coast and in estuarine areas. At two to three years of age, they mature. Scup winter along the mid and outer continental shelf. When the temperature warms in the spring they migrate inshore.

They are fished for by commercial and recreational fishermen. They are a fine fish to eat because of their light flavor and are sometimes called panfish. Popular methods of cooking include but are not limited to frying, broiling and baking.

Management

Scup is heavily fished commercially and recreationally. Management measures for the species generally include size limits, bag limits, fishing seasons, and equipment requirements. Scup are also managed through quotas that separately regulate the different seasons.

See also

References

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