Sea Creatures 101: Barracuda

Try this; say "barracuda" in a public place. Chances are good that a few heads will turn your way. People are fascinated with this fish. Of course, sometimes they think you're referring to a car, but that's another article for someone else. Getting back to the fishy barracuda, why are we so interested in this fish?

Reputation. Barracuda have a reputation for being aggressive, violent fish. Their large, pointed teeth can rip a parrotfish to shreds in seconds. Barracuda don't chew; they shred their prey like sharks. They can't open their mouths very wide, and so they slash their prey apart with just one or two bites. Reef fish, like the parrotfish, are their favorite meal. Gliding slowly, a barracuda will sneak up on its target, then strike. One or two bites, and dinner is over. If a barracuda sees a school of fish, it will glide over to the fish and wait a minute, then weave quickly in and out of the school, breaking the school apart with its long snout. This causes confusion in the school of fish. The fish scatter, the barracuda bites, and dinner is served.

Before we get any further into our "Tales of Barracuda Terror", let me just say that barracuda are not really interested in people. Barracuda attacks are rare. There are 29 reported barracuda attacks in the United States. These attacks happened between 1873 and 1963, a period of 90 years. Of these 29 attacks, only 19 have been confirmed. Usually the barracuda attack because the diver is wearing something shiny; like a watch or earrings. The barracuda see the sparkle and think it is a fish. Another good reason to leave your jewelry at home when you dive!

There are 22 known types of barracuda, and two are common in Hawaii: Heller's Barracuda and Great Barracuda. Heller's Barracuda grow to be about 2 feet long and are schooling barracuda. Great Barracuda can get to be 6 feet long and weigh 100 pounds. These barracuda do not school. They use camouflage to keep their prey unaware. They swim effortlessly and quickly through the water, like a torpedo, toward their prey and snap at the fish.

Do barracuda have enemies? Yes, they do. Humans are a #1 enemy of barracuda. These fish are tasty, and easy to sell. Because of that, barracuda are being overfished in Belize. Some conservationists are calling for a better management policy on reef fishing, allowing barracuda populations to begin to build up again.

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