Top Tautog Fishing Countries

The tautog (Tautoga onitis), also known as blackfish, is a stout, thick-lipped species of wrasse native to the western Atlantic Ocean, particularly along the eastern coast of North America from Nova Scotia to South Carolina. Renowned for their strong fighting ability and delicious, firm white flesh, tautog are a prized target for recreational anglers and commercial fishers alike. The United States is by far the top country for tautog fishing, with the majority of the harvest occurring in the coastal waters of the Mid-Atlantic and New England states, especially Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. Canada, particularly Nova Scotia, also has a small tautog presence, but commercial exploitation there is minimal compared to the U.S. Due to their slow growth and site fidelity, tautog populations are carefully managed in the U.S. with strict regulations on bag limits, size, and fishing seasons to ensure sustainability. The species is not widely harvested outside of North America, making the U.S. the dominant country in both recreational and commercial tautog fisheries.

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.