Seine fishing practiced in Martinique makes it possible to capture so-called pelagic species. Borrowed from the Latin pelagicus and the Greek pelagikos, of the high seas, the term pelagic refers to organisms, animals, or plants that do not live on the ocean floor but swim or float in the open sea. These pelagic fish evolve close to the surface and are essentially planktophagous. The generally blue-green color of their backs would protect them from predatory sea birds. These fish are oblong-shaped to move easily and quickly in the water and most often live in groups and swim in shoals. In contrast, aquatic animals that live in the depths, close to the seabed, are called benthic.