Opah
Lampris guttatus, Lampris spp.
Also known as Moonfish
Culinary Profile
Opah has a rich, creamy taste. The flavor is distinctive, a cross between tuna and swordfish.
Firm and fatty with large flakes.
Opah is a rich source of omega-3s, protein, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, phosphorus, and selenium. It is also low in sodium.
Gastronomic Specifications
Biology & Habitat
Appearance
Opah are an unusual looking fish—they have a round, flat body that’s silvery gray in color. Toward the belly, the silver shades to a rose red, dotted with white spots. Their fins and mouth are red, and their large eyes are encircled with gold.
Biology
Because opah are not a major commercial seafood species and they live in the deep ocean, scientists know very little about their biology and ecology. Scientists assume opah share general characteristics with other Pacific Ocean pelagic fish. Scientists estimate that opah grow quickly.
Where They Live
Range Opah are found in tropical and temperate waters around the world. Habitat Opah live in deep open ocean waters. Fishery Management NOAA Fisheries and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council manage this fishery in the Pacific Islands. Managed under the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific : No management measures specifically apply to opah.
How to Buy & Source
Availability
Year-round, but landings seem to peak from April through August.
Source
U.S. wild-caught from Hawaii, California, and surrounding high seas.
Commercial Fishery & Harvest
Commercial fishery: In 2021, commercial landings of opah in Hawaii totaled 460,000 pounds and were valued at $1.8 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database . While there is no directed fishery for opah, they are harvested in small but significant quantities. 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. Off California, they're taken incidentally in the California drift gillnet fishery targeting swordfish.
Similar by Flavour: Other Rich-Tasting Species
If you enjoy the rich flavour profile of Opah, these other species in the catalogue will feel familiar on the palate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the stock status of Opah?
The stock has not been assessed. Although the population level is unknown, management measures are in place.
Where is Opah found?
Range Opah are found in tropical and temperate waters around the world. Habitat Opah live in deep open ocean waters. Fishery Management NOAA Fisheries and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council manage this fishery in the Pacific Islands. Managed under the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific : No management measures specifically apply to opah.
Who manages the Opah fishery?
NOAA Fisheries and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council manage this fishery in the Pacific Islands. Managed under the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific : No management measures specifically apply to opah. However, general management measures apply to the fisheries that harvest opah. Fishermen are required to have permits and record their catch.
How does Opah reproduce?
Because opah are not a major commercial seafood species and they live in the deep ocean, scientists know very little about their biology and ecology. Scientists assume opah share general characteristics with other Pacific Ocean pelagic fish. Scientists estimate that opah grow quickly.
Sustainability Story
U.S. wild-caught opah is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Stock Structure
Opah has never been assessed so the population and overfishing status are unknown, but there is no evidence that populations are in decline or that fishing rates are too high. Despite the opah's value to commercial and recreational fishermen, little research on the basic biology and ecology of opah has been conducted.
Population
The stock has not been assessed. Although the population level is unknown, management measures are in place.
Fishing Rate
Overfishing status is unknown, but management measures are in place.
Habitat Impacts
Fishing gear used to catch opah rarely contacts the ocean floor so habitat impacts are minimal.
Bycatch
There is no directed fishery. Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch in the tuna and swordfish fisheries, which incidentally catch opah.
Management
NOAA Fisheries and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council manage this fishery in the Pacific Islands. Managed under the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific : No management measures specifically apply to opah. However, general management measures apply to the fisheries that harvest opah.
Data Source: NOAA Fisheries
Nutritional Profile
per 100 g raw edible portion · 7 values
Nutrient Facts (NOAA)
Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy). %DV is percent of 2,000-kcal daily value for adults.
calendar_month Harvest Season
Frozen available year-round.