Chad Smith, age 9, of Gulfport, Miss., for his question:

IS THE BARRACUDA A LARGE FISH?

There are about 20 different kinds of barracuda. All of them lies in the warmer saes of the world. They are swift swimming fish and they range in size from one foot in length to some that measure 10 feet.

Large barracudas are found in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico from South Carolina down to Brazil. They are also found in the South Pacific.

Barracuda fishing is a popular sport in Florida.

Two of the smaller types are found in the Atlantic waters along the U.S. coast as far north as New England. Another smaller type is found in the Pacific ocean off of the California coast.

Most of the large fish are not used as food. The small ones, however, often make it to the fish market. Barracuda akin is sometimes dried and used to polish woodwork.

The barracuda has strong jaws and sharp teeth. It often attacks whole schools of fish and kills them recklessly.