Jay Vander, age 14, of Baton Rouge, La., for his question:

HOW DO FISHERMEN CATCH POMPANO?

Pompano is the name of a group of valuable food fishes. Fishermen rarely take pompano by hooks. Instead they use nets to catch these delicious fish.

The Florida pompano, or butterfish, lives along the Atlantic Coast of the United States and in the seas from the West Indies to Brazil. This fish is about 18 inches long and weighs about seven pounds.

Florida pompano is bluish above and silvery or slightly golden underneath. The breast is yellowish. The body is oblong and flattened. The flesh is highly prized for its rich flavor.

The round pompano lives as far north as Cape Cod. It reaches a foot in length and weighs about three pounds. It, too, is a good food fish.

The largest of the pompano group is the great pompano or permit. This fish often grows to be three feet long and weighs about 30 pounds. It lives in the seas from Florida to the West Indies. The great pompano also is an excellent food fish.