Opakapaka

Opakapaka Flavor Scale

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Opakapaka Flavor Profile 

Opakapaka has lean, light pink flesh with a translucent sheen and firm texture. It has a clean, delicate, sweet flavor and a reputation of being Hawaii’s premium snapper. It is often used as sashimi and fish caught during the winter months are better for this application due to a higher fat content in the flesh during the winter months than fish which are caught in the summer.

Alternate Names

Crimson Snapper, Hawaiian Pink Snapper, King Snapper, Rosy Snapper (Australian  Name Standard AS5300 SSA), Vivaneau (French), Schnapper (German),  Lutiano (Italian), Huachinango (Spanish),  Kinme Himedai; Ohimedai (Japanese).

Opakapaka Description (Pristipomoides filamentosus)  The color of Opakapak varies from brownish to lavender or reddish-purple, it can grow up to about 18 pounds, but average market weights are between 3 - 12 pounds.  Maximum lifespan is about 18 years.
photo by NOAA	photo by www.honolulufish.com

Fresh Opakapaka Availability

Fresh seafood availability chart: green areas show peak availability, light green show limited availability, gray indicates not available fresh.  Frozen available all year long.

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Opakapaka Yield Percentage and Recovery

Item	To Skn/On Fillets	To Skn/Off Fillets	Notes
Whole Head/On gutted 10-up fish	44%
Whole Head/On gutted 10-down fish	38%
Skin/On Fillets

 

Range & Habitat Opakapaka are found throughout the tropical Pacific at depths between 180 and 600 feet.  The largest fish are caught around the Hawaiian Islands.  Opakapaka which inhabit areas with rocky bottoms have brighter colored skin than those which inhabit sandy bottoms.

AquaMaps     Data sources: GBIF OBIS

Typical Wholesale Products

Whole, Fillets

Opakapaka Recipes

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Opakapaka Sustainability Information

This window is a link to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program info on Opakapaka.  Fish from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are considered more sustainable than fish from the Main Island.  Opakapaka are caught primarily by vertical hook-and-line gear which has minimal impact upon the habitat.

 

Opakapaka Nutritional Information based upon a 6 oz (171 grams) raw edible serving * Calories/Calories from fat 165/15 * Protein grams 37.5 * Fat grams 1.5 * Saturated fat grams 0 * Sodium milligrams 113 * Cholesterol milligrams 67.5 * Omega-3 grams .4

 

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