Uku – Hawaiian Uku, Jobfish

Hawaiian Uku Flavor Profile

Hawiian Uku Flavor Scale

Flavor
Oil
Texture

Uku has clear, translucent pink flesh which is moist and firm textured with a delicate flavor. It is one of the three most popular Hawaiian Snappers with a flavor slightly stronger than the delicate taste of Opakapaka. Uku is frequently used as sashimi and is called Aochibiki in Japanese.

Typical Cooking Methods

Alternate Names

Jobfish, Gray Snapper, Gray Jobfish, Blue-Green Snapper, Green Jobfish, Ukupalu (Hawaiian), Aochibiki (Japanese).

Uku – Jobfish Description (Aprion virescens)

Although Uku are called Snapper, they are not a true Snapper. They are gray with green or blue-green tints and have average weights of 4-18 pounds but can reach weights up to 45 pounds.

Image from Wikipedia-click for licensing

photo by www.honolulufish.com

Uku Availability

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

Uku Fishing Methods

All uku from Hawaiian waters are line-caught fish, the majority of which are caught using deepwater handline gear using power reels. Uku is also caught by trolling methods.

Butchering Yield Percentage

Range & Habitat

AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF

Uku inhabit tropical lagoons, channels and reef areas at a depth between 80 – 350 feet. Uku are found in oceans from East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands, from southern Japan to Australia. The summer Uku season is entirely opposite to the winter peak for other deepwater snappers such as opakapaka & onaga, offering complimentary seasonal opportunities for these excellent Hawaii bottomfish. Uku feed mainly on fishes, but also shrimp, crabs, cephalopods, and plankton organisms

Typical Wholesale Products

Whole fish, fillets, dried

Special Notes

There have been some reports of ciguatera poisoning, especially in larger fish.

Sustainability Info

Name	Alternate Names	Catch Method	Catch Region	Seafood Watch	Ocean Wise	Sea Choice	Mercury Concerns
Uku, Aprion virescens	Hawaiian Grey Snapper, Green Jobfish, Jobfish	Wild – Handline	US Hawaii				n/a
Disclaimer: The sustainability info above is accurate to the best of our knowledge. However, each program randomly updates their information without our knowledge. We therefore recommend that you verify the current accuracy of this information.
= Best Choice/Recommended = Good Alternative = Avoid/Not Recommended							Updated August 2013

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David Buchanan is a professional chef and author of Chefs-Resources.com, a site geared towards providing chefs and culinarians useful info to help in their kitchens.

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