Hawaiian Salmon

Introduction

The Hawaiian Salmon is a spectacularly colored fish and tastes like Norwegian Salmon. One of the rare catches from the Arabian sea, it’s hardly available on retail outlets and roadside fish mongers. An elongated fish that is perfect for any type of cutting and cooking.

Hawaiian Salmon is not a major commercial specie like Tuna, Snapper, Pomfret, or Mackerel, but is highly prized as a bycatch.

Flavor Profile

While Hawaiian Salmon are not the best fighters, they are pleasant to look at and tasty to eat! According to most people, this fish tastes like Norwegian Salmon.

Nomenclature

• English Name: Hawaiian Salmon, Rainbow Runner, Spanish Jack
• Local Name: Safi (Sindhi), Sanpo (Balochi)
• Scientific Name: Elagatis bipinnulata

Habitat

The Hawaiian Salmon has a circumtropical distribution, inhabiting tropical and some subtropical waters worldwide. In the Arabian sea, they are mainly found in oceanic and coastal waters, generally near the surface over reefs or sometimes far from the coast often around floating logs or other debris. They often form schools of variable sizes ranging from a few individuals to several hundred. The species is also highly migratory.

Catching Method

They are caught using gillnets, and handlines.

Physical Attributes

They are among the beautiful fish of the Arabian Sea.  Silvery-yellow, dark olive green to blue above and white below. Two narrow light blue or bluish-white stripes along the sides, with a broader olive or yellow stripe between them. The fins have an olive or yellow tint. Rear dorsal and anal fins have a serrated appearance

Color

On average, the size range is  500 gm to 2 kg per fish. However, other sizes are also occasionally available.

Size

This preferred to be cut as slices, and boneless fillet

Cutting Preferences

This fish is preferred to be cut as Whole, Gutted, and Headless.

Approx. Cutting Yields

• Whole: 100%
• Gutted: 80%
• Headless and Gutted: 65%
• Slices: 60%
• Boneless: 40%

Cooking Preferences

The Hawaiian Salmon can fit any type of culinary requirement including sashimi. It is a firm-fleshed fish suitable for marinating and grilling. Most importantly it is perfectly suitable for making fish kebabs and tikkas for parties however, it should not be overcooked so that the taste and texture can be retained.

Health Benefits

• Heart friendly
• Lowers Blood Pressure
• Improves Immune System
• Strengthens the bones
• Improves Skin and Hair health