Hawaii Seafood Buyers' Guide

The Hawaii Seafood Buyers' Guide

Fresh seafood has been popular in Hawaii since the first Hawaiians arrived by canoe. Today, as a result of ethnic preferences and the abundance and diversity of high quality seafood products, Hawaii's consumers eat twice as much seafood as the U.S. per capita national average. This Buyers' Guide was prepared to aid potential buyers and consumers of Hawaii's seafood products in their selection and preparation.

This Guide focuses only on the most popular and available species. Many other Hawaiian species are as versatile in their uses and just as good tasting, but unfortunately, their supplies are limited. Even supplies of most of the more abundant species fluctuate seasonally, and during the off-season, substitution is often necessary. Seasonality in landings of the species included in this Guide are summarized in Table 1.

To the uninitiated buyer, prices for fresh seafood from Hawaii may seem high. Pricing, however, is directly related to the limited supplies and high demand for island fish and the willingness of buyers to pay a premium for the higher product grades. General indicators of quality in Hawaiian fish are summarized in Table 2, which was adapted from material originally presented in "The Seafood Handbook" published by Seafood Business.

There are two principle factors which contribute to high quality in Hawaii's seafood products: (a) the sale of a large percentage of the islands' seafood harvest at auctions where there is an opportunity for visual inspection of quality and competitive bidding; and, (b) the demand of the sashimi market in which fish are purchased to be eaten raw by very discriminating consumers.

Hawaii's Fish Auctions

Fish auctions represent one of several possible marketing avenues open to Hawaii's commercial fishermen. Other options are to contract with buyers at set prices (as often occurs in continental U.S. fisheries) or to sell their own catch, either individually or through an association. Fish auctions in Honolulu and Hilo are the only systems in the U.S., other than the Fulton Street Market in New York and a newly-opened auction in Portland, Maine, set up to allow an inspection of the product prior to bidding. Hawaii's fish auctions are characterized by wide daily and seasonal fluctuations in prices which depend on the current balance of supply and demand; the buyers' assessment of product quality; and, other factors. Fish are delivered to the auctions by the fishermen themselves for storage overnight or by the auction companies' trucks, which meet the larger boats at the dock in the early morning.

Tuna caught by long-line are displayed in the round, with wedges or flesh exposed near the tail for inspection by the buyers. Large tunas not caught by the longline method are displayed with one lengthwise quarter removed from the whole fish so that the core flesh is fully visible for inspection. Marlins have their bills removed and the larger fish are halved crosswise to display their flesh. The tunas and billfish are auctioned first, followed by smaller species (which are displayed in the round), including bottomfish, reef fish, mackerel species, mahimahi, ono, crab, lobster and occasionally limpet (a shellfish). After the auctioneer announces the weight and species of the product about to be sold, he elicits an initial bid from one of the dozen or more fish dealers gathered around him. The bid is raised (in increments of ten cents or more per pound) until the highest bid is determined. All of the regular bidders are attuned to upcoming demand from their customers, and the morning trip to the auction provides them with a sense of the day's supply of fish to meet that demand. The auction process sorts out competing demands and directs the available supply toward the highest-priced markets.

The "Sashimi" Market

Much of the large tuna marketed in Hawaii is destined for use as raw fish, mostly as sashimi (bite-sized pieces of raw fish often served with soy sauce and wasabi, Japanese horseradish), but also on top of finger-shaped servings of rice (sushi). Sashimi is a traditional Japanese dish in which presentation is an art form. The various colors of different fish or different cuts of the same fish are arranged in combinations that are pleasing to the eye, as well as to the palate. Sashimi is rapidly gaining popularity outside its traditional ethnic consumer base.

On a per capita basis, Hawaii's consumption of raw tuna is second in the world only to Japan's, and the lure of high prices provides the incentive for Hawaii's fishermen to seek large tunas suitable for the sashimi market. High prices, however, are paid only for top-quality, well-handled tuna. Poor quality or poorly handled fish are unacceptable for sashimi. Prices paid for large tunas vary greatly, depending on many factors, such as the amount and type of tunas arriving in the market; the demand in Hawaii and in export markets; the season of the year, moon phase and other conditions affecting catchability; the fishing methods; and the overall quality of the product.

Several species of fish caught off the Hawaiian Islands are suitable for use as sashimi. The bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus), which predominates in longline catches during the winter, is highly valued for sashimi. Large tuna (ahi over 100 pounds) are preferred because they yield a greater percentage of sashimi from the total weight of the fish, but fish as small as 30 pounds may be acceptable, especially if not much else is available. Other tunas and marlins listed in the Guide may also yield good sashimi if the fat content and the color of the flesh are acceptable. Onaga (ruby snapper), opah (moonfish) and other species are used for sashimi to a lesser extent than tuna or marlin.

The importance of sashimi to consumers has produced a market that is both discriminating and complex. Only the top grades of fish enter this market. Fish are individually examined before their sale and, if sold at auction, are bid on individually.

The qualities which render a fish suitable for sashimi include texture, firmness, taste, color, and moisture content of the flesh, but by far the most important is fat content, which should be high. Fat content is a natural phenomenon which varies with species as well as with the movements of the fish, its feeding behavior prior to capture and the characteristics (mainly water temperature) of its natural habitat.

Sashimi consumers differentiate quality from among various sizes and species of fish, as well as among the various cuts of an individual fish. The major differentiation is between the fattier, outer layer of the flesh (closest to the skin) called toro and the inner part of the flesh called akami. In most fish markets in Hawaii, tuna are sold by loin section, and a tuna cross-cut will yield both toro and akami.

Buyer's Summary

The species section of this Introduction (Tuna, Billfish, Other Open Ocean Species and Bottomfish) provide summary information useful in buying and preparing Hawaii's major fish species.

Table 3 - The approximate shelf life of these species from the time of capture. It should be remembered that variations in handling and in ocean and weather conditions will cause individual fish to vary in shelf life from the generalized estimates.

Table 4 - Reviews the most readily available product forms for the major fish species.

Table 5 - Summarizes the typical landed size of these species and the approximate yield (as percentage of round weight of the most readily available product forms).

Table 6 - Provides general advice on appropriate quantities of fish to buy depending on intended use.

Table 7 - Indicates the most common methods of preparation for the major products included in the Guide. Most of Hawaii's fish products may be used in a variety of ways.

Table 8 - Provides nutritional and dietary information about selected species.

Hawaii's Tuna

Four species of tuna are landed in substantial quantities in Hawaii:

- Albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) or tombo ahi;
- Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) or ahi;
- Skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) or aku; and,
- Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) or ahi.

Tuna caught off the Hawaiian Islands belong to stocks which migrate long distances across the Pacific Ocean, and their availability in Hawaiian waters is seasonal. In Hawaii, the peak season for most tuna species is summer (April-September), but in contrast, the heaviest landings of bigeye tuna occur in winter (October-March).

The major quality factors over which fishermen have control include:

- freshness (which varies with length of fishing trips and initial handling of the catch);
- initial handling (rough handling, dragging, bending or dropping will ruin the general appearance of the fish, as well as cause the flesh to lose its firm consistency or to crack); and,
- time the fish is left in the water after capture (too long a time will bleach out the original bright body colors and cause a loss of flesh color).

The initial quality of the tuna when hooked is not under the control of the fisherman. Many natural factors influence initial quality. One of the most important is spawning. Prior to the spawning, tunas (and most other fish species) feed voraciously and increase their body fat content substantially. After spawning, their fat content is very low and the water content of the muscle is high, rendering the quality of the fish inferior. Shelf life is relatively lower, even under ideal storage conditions, in tuna and other fishes having red muscle tissue. Pigmented muscle is rich in iron and copper, two minerals that promote oxidative rancidity. Removal of blood with its iron containing pigments that foster oxidation will extend the keeping time of fresh tuna.

Therefore, if tunas are landed while still alive, they should be bled. After bleeding, they should be submerged in an ice-seater brine to bring down the core temperature of the fish. After the core temperature is reduced or if the fish is landed dead (as is often the case in longlining), the catch should be individually packed on ice. As with all seafood products, conscientious handling and proper icing of tuna are prerequisites for a high quality product. Buyers look for the following indicators of good quality in fresh whole tuna:

- bright, clean appearance with little or no loss of original body colors;
- clear, moist eyes with black pupils;
- skin and scales unbroken;
- damage to the fish's head by gaff is tolerated, but other mutilation or evidence of ulcers, parasitic worm infestation, or physical injury lower the market value;
- moist, firm rigid skin elastic to the touch; and,
- abdominal walls smooth, clean and intact.

Proper care by the buyer or distributor involves grilling and gutting fish (if this has not been done at sea) and repacking in ice for cold storage at temperatures of 28 to 32 degrees F. To avoid bleaching of the flesh, loins, steaks or fillets produced from a whole tuna should be wrapped in plastic so that there is no direct contact with ice or water.

Hawaii's Billfish

Four species of billfish are caught in substantial quantities off the Hawaiian Islands:

- Pacific blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), kajiki or a`u;
- Shortbill spearfish (Tetrapturus angustirostris) or hebi;
- Striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax), nairagi or `au;
- Broadbill swordfish (Xiphias gladius) or shutome.

With the exception of shutome, billfish are harvested in the open ocean by the same fleets which land fresh tuna and they enter the same markets as tuna. Seasonality of species is evident, with Pacific blue marlin most available during the summer months, striped marlin most available in the spring and fall, and shortbill spearfish most available in the summer and fall. Shutome is predominant in spring and summer.

The same general procedures for proper care of tuna also apply to billfish. However, a handling problem specific to billfish is their susceptibility to gaping or "cracking" if the fish is bent.

In a gutted billfish, buyers can determine freshness not only by examination of the exposed flesh, but by squeezing the corner of the belly flap between thumb and forefinger. A rubbery texture indicates freshness, but if the fingers penetrate the flesh, quality is lower. Another indicator of lower quality in marlin is whether the small, finely-pointed scales break off or stick out after running a hand across the skin.

Gutted marlin, like gutted tuna, will keep better if the belly cavity is well iced. Loined marlin should be bagged to protect the flesh from air and dehydration in cold storage. To extend the shelf life of gutted marlin, the blood line should be completely removed. If oxygen from the blood remains in contact with the flesh for a long time, the flesh may take on a somewhat rancid taste. Blood denatures quickly, so removal of the blood line will also improve the life of fresh fillets.

Hawaii's Bottomfish

Hawaii's commercial bottomfish catch is comprised of a dozen species of snappers and groupers. Three snappers, one grouper and one jack account for about 75% of the landings:

- Snapper or Jobfish (Aprion virescens) or uku;
- Grouper (Epinephelus quernus) or hapu`upu`u;
- Crimson snapper (Pristipomoides filamentosus) or opakapaka; and,
- Ruby snapper (Etelis coruscans) or onaga.

Most bottomfish species in Hawaii are caught along the drop-off between the narrow terraces and the steep slopes that surround the islands and banks. The small amount of suitable habitat limits potential bottomfish yields.

Small bottomfish (less than 5 pounds), are the preferred size for the household retail market and for certain types of restaurants, where fish are often served with the head on. Medium to large bottomfish (over 5 pounds) are preferred for the restaurant fillet market becuase the percent yield of edible matieral is high, handling costs per unit weight are lower, and more uniform portions can be cut from the larger fish.

Bottomfish landed from the main Hawaiian Islands are marketed through fish auctions in Honolulu and Hilo, through intermediary buyers on all islands, and directly from fishermen to retail stores and restaurants. Bottomfish landed from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are marketed predominantly through the Honolulu fish auction. The portions of the Hawaiian chain known as the main Hawaiian Islands and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are shown in Figure 1.

The preferred method of maintaining good quality of bottomfish is to place the fish in an ice-seawater brine slush immediately after landing to super-chill it in a straight position before packing in ice. Fish which are bent in the brining procedure may have cracked fillets. To prevent fading of the attracitve natural skin colors, the brine must be periodically replenished with seawater, and the fresh melted ice water must be drained.

If bottomfish are not chilled to the core (by brining) immediately after capture, or if they are stored in the round for too long, the viscera will swell and the gills will turn brown and emit a bad odor, reducing the market value of the fish. Properly chilled bottomfish stored in the round, however, will retain the desired firm texture longer than bottomfish that are processed immediately after capture.

The signs of a good quality bottomfish are:

- body stiff, straight, and firm;
- skin colors natural and bright with no fading or bleach spots;
- fins not split;
- scales intact;
- eyes convex, clear, and firm; and,
- gills red with no odor.

Most of the bottomfish catch is landed as whole, iced fish, so that buyers can assess fish quality by examining the clarity of the eyes, the color of the gills and body firmness.