Where can I find opah fish?

Opah is a pelagic species, often found with tuna and billfish. The fish is found in southern waters and has recently become popular with restaurants in Hawaii. All of the opah landed in Hawaii are caught by longlining.

How do I get opah in Hawaii?

The opah, or moonfish, is often caught by longliners but rarely by recreational or commercial fishermen using rod and reel. Moonfish are prized trophies for deep-water anglers. Captain Dale Leverone had wanted to catch one for many years; since he saw his first ‘real’ opah at the fish market in Honolulu.

How do you target opah?

The best way to target Opah is from a boat out in the open ocean. There is a chance you can catch Opah while trolling, but the most successful technique is vertical jigging. Opah aren’t fussy and will eat just about anything. They eat various smaller fish, but their diet is mainly made up of Squid and Krill.

Is opah fish good for sushi?

Opah (Moonfish) is a very large, very beautiful fish that tastes somewhat similar to tuna. It’s a mild-flavored fish that is becoming increasingly popular in fish markets. Opah makes for excellent sushi and sashimi, paired with ponzu, ginger, and daikon.

Is opah a healthy fish?

Health Benefits Opah is a rich source of omega-3s, protein, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, phosphorus, and selenium. It is also low in sodium.

Is Opah fish good for you?

Many fishermen just discarded opah as a nuisance rather than waste space hauling it ashore. Gradually, demand increased as the Hawaiian government built a market for this sustainably managed and affordable fish, an excellent source of protein and omega-3s.

Is OPAH a deep water fish?

A deep-bodied fish with a small toothless mouth, the opah (L. guttatus) grows to a length of about 2 metres (7 feet) and a weight of 140 kg (300 pounds), although larger specimens have been reported.

Is Ono or OPAH better?

Opah is one of the most popular fish in restaurants for its lightly flavored white flesh that is rich with healthy fish oils and can be prepared a variety of ways. The name speaks for itself, Ono is the Hawaiian word for good to eat. Ono is a lean fish that’s juicy and mild in flavor.

Is OPAH a healthy fish?

Is Opah fish high in mercury?

Anela Choy“We found that predatory fish that feed at deeper depths in the open ocean, like opah and swordfish, have higher mercury concentrations than those that feed in waters near the surface, like mahi-mahi and yellowfin tuna,” said Brian Popp, a professor of geology and geophysics at the University of Hawaii at …

How big is the opah fishery in Hawaii?

In 2019, commercial landings of opah in Hawaii totaled more than 3.2 million pounds and were valued at more than $6.2 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database. These figures may not match other agency sources of data due to confidential information.

Where do you catch opah tuna in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, opah are caught using longlines set deep below the surface to target bigeye tuna. Off California, they’re taken incidentally in the California drift gillnet fishery targeting swordfish. Although not commonly caught, opah are prized by deepwater recreational anglers for their unique colors and light flavor.

Where to go deep sea fishing in Hawaii?

Hawaii Deep Sea Fishing located in Honolulu, Hawaii provides Hawaii Sport Fishing Charters with 45 charter boats in Hawaii. Book online or call us toll free at 855.975.3474. Sportfishing on Oahu , Maui , Big Island and Kauai.

Where are opah caught in the United States?

U.S. fishermen catch them incidentally in tuna and swordfish fisheries around the U.S. Pacific Islands and off southern California. Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: In Hawaii, opah are caught using longlines set deep below the surface to target bigeye tuna.