New Jersey Scuba Diving

Clearnose Skate

Raja eglanteria

Size: to 31″ long

Habitat: Soft sandy bottoms, in depths from shallows to 300 ft.

Notes:
The Clearnose Skate has a noticeably pointy nose compared to the Little Skate, with a semi-transparent patch on either side of the snout.

Note the more pointed snout than the Little Skate.

Fishes of the Gulf of Maine

Skates & Rays

Skates and rays are related to sharks. Unlike flounders, these fish are flattened and lie on their bellies. Skates are harmless. Stingrays have one or more dangerous barbed stingers in the tail and will use them if molested. Finally, the Torpedo is an electric fish and can generate enough voltage to be dangerous. Some skates give birth to live young, while others lay their eggs encased in a horned Mermaid’s Purse.

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Spearfishing - Cleaning Your Catch

Well, that’s all just great, but what do I do with it now? Many people have no idea how to clean a fish. Here are some basic instructions:

It is helpful first to understand what you are trying to do when cleaning a fish. The object is to cleanly separate the edible meat from the inedible bones, skin, and guts. Most of the undesirable fishy taste of fish resides in the skin and guts, so it is important to clean fish as soon as possible before that strong fishy taste soaks into the meat. This is especially important with Blackfish, less so for Sea Bass and other types.

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