That fish on your plate may be a celebrity.
Only recently, scientists discovered, for the first time, a kind of fish that is warm-blooded and not cold-blooded as most fish are. The scientific name of the fish is Lampris Regius.
Commonly called Opah, Moonfish, Sunfish, etc the fish is popular in seafood markets. The Opah is prized for its mild taste and non-stringy texture.
It is not a rare fish and is found in oceans world-wide except in the Polar areas. But unlike other fish which travel in schools, Opahs like to be solitary. Fishermen find Opah by accident as they fish for tuna or marlin and others that come in groups.
In Hawaii which supplies most Opah sold in the US mainland, the Opah is regarded as a fish that brings luck. Traditionally, instead of selling Opah they've caught, fishermen in Hawaii gift it as an expression of Aloha.
If anybody "opahs" me an Opah, I'll be happy to accept it anytime! :)
More info about the Opah are provided in the links below this blog.
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| Armando Castillo, Joe Ludlow and Travis Savala (left to right) pose with opah aboard the San Diego, California-based fishing vessel "Excel." Source: pethethomasoutdoor.com LINKS http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/15/opinions/warm-blooded-fish/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opah http://www.hawaii-seafood.org/wild-hawaii-fish/other-ocean-species/moonfish-opah/ http://www.petethomasoutdoors.com/2014/08/san-diego-anglers-hit-opah-jackpot-three-moonfish-landed.html |
- By ARIEL MURPHY
Amazing, a warm blooded fish. I've eaten it, quite tasty.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. They are a colorful fish!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and delicious. We are so lucky when we find fresh, wild caught Opah.
ReplyDelete