A predatory and voracious species of fish that ranges throughout the tropical and temperate seas of the world, except for the eastern and central Pacific areas. A single species, Pomatomus saltatrix (see illus.), makes up the family Pomatomidae. This fish, also known as the skipjack, is bluish-gray with an average length of 3 ft (1 m) and weight of about 5 lb (2.25 kg). The mouth is large with sharp, strong teeth. The bluefish form schools and migrate north along the Atlantic coast, following schools of smaller fish upon which they prey. The bluefish continue to kill and destroy their prey even after feeding. About June they reach the New England coast, where the young can be found in estuaries and bays.