Crimson Jobfish ('Ōpakapaka)
Crimson Jobfish ('Ōpakapaka)
Pristipomoides filamentosus
Quick Facts
Researcher shows off an opakapaka prior to taking fin clips and releasing it during a bottomfish research expedition in the Pacific Islands. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
Researcher shows off an opakapaka prior to taking fin clips and releasing it during a bottomfish research expedition in the Pacific Islands. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
About the Species
Crimson jobfish—commonly known as ‘ōpakapaka—is a species of snapper fish found throughout the tropical Pacific Ocean, including American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Pacific Remote Island areas . They live at depths from 240 to 720 feet. 'Ōpakapaka is a popular and important species for the fishing industry in and around the Pacific Islands region. It is caught year-round and is highly prized for its mild flavor and premium texture.
Population
The American Samoa stock is not overfished. The population level for the remaining five bottomfish complexes that contain crimson jobfish range from not overfished to unknown.
Fishing Rate
Not subject to overfishing for four stocks/complexes. The overfishing status is unknown for the remaining stock two stock complexes, but catch is at recommended level.
Habitat Impact
Bottomfish fishing operations, typically using weighted lines and baited hooks, do not have adverse impacts to the habitat.
Bycatch
Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch.
Population Status
- There are six stocks of crimson jobfish. Because golden eye jobfish is often indistinguishable from crimson jobfish, these two stocks are contained in some stock complexes together. Crimson jobfish and golden eye jobfish are contained in stock complexes in American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Crimson jobfish only is contained in stock complexes in the Main Hawaiian Islands, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas. According to the most recent stock assessments:
- The population status of the Golden Eye Jobfish and Crimson Jobfish Complex in American Samoa is not overfished and not subject to overfishing (2023 stock assessment). Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART.
- The population status of the Guam Bottomfish Multi-species Complex, which contains crimson jobfish and golden eye jobfish, is not overfished and not subject to overfishing (2024 stock assessment). Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART.
- The population status of the Northern Mariana Islands Bottomfish Multi-species Complex, which contains crimson jobfish and golden eye jobfish, is not overfished and is not subject to overfishing (2019 stock assessment). Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART.
- The population status of the Main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 Bottomfish Multi-species Complex, which contains crimson jobfish, is not overfished and is not subject to overfishing (2021 stock assessment). Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART.
- The population status of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Bottomfish Multi-species Complex, which contains crimson jobfish, is unknown. This stock complex occurs within the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument where commercial fishing is prohibited.
- The population and overfishing status of the Pacific Remote Island Areas Bottomfish Complex, which contains crimson jobfish, is unknown.
Appearance
- Crimson jobfish have skin that is slightly brown with some brighter colors when caught over hard bottoms.
- Their caudal fin has an orange edge.
- Pectoral fins are brownish or yellow.
- The iris is typically yellow.
Biology
- Crimson jobfish reach sexual maturity around 1.8 years of age.
- Spawning occurs between June and December with a peak in August.
- Large fish reach about 20 lb and 3 feet long.
- They feed on shrimps, squids, and small fishes.
Where They Live
Range
- Crimson jobfish are distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
Habitat
- They inhabit hard bottoms at depths from 40 to 120 fathoms.
Fishery Management
- NOAA Fisheries and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council manage crimson jobfish in the United States.
- Managed under Fishery Ecosystem Plans for American Samoa, Hawaii Archipelago, Mariana Archipelago, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas.
- Crimson jobfish is managed as part of multispecies stock complexes under these four ecosystem plans. There are annual catch limits in place for these six stock complexes.
- Commercial fishermen are required to have permits to fish in federal waters and report their catch.
- Recreational fishermen fishing in federal waters for Hawaii bottomfish are required to have permits and record their catch. There are no permit or reporting requirements for recreational fishermen fishing in federal waters for Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands bottomfish, but there are prohibited gear types and harvest techniques. Non-commercial fishing is prohibited within 12 nm of emergent land within the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument.
- Gear restrictions and operational requirements are in place to minimize bycatch and potential gear conflicts among different fisheries.
- A rebuilding plan was implemented in 2022 with the goal of rebuilding the Guam Bottomfish Multi-species Complex, of which crimson jobfish is a member, by 2031.
Harvest
- Fishery:
- Commercial, recreational, and non-commercial fishing in the Pacific Islands encompass fishing communities, habitats, and fishing practices spread over a vast area of nearly 1.5 million square miles of federal waters.
- Non-commercial fishing includes sustenance, subsistence, traditional indigenous, and recreational fishing. Non-commercial fisheries in the Pacific Islands are major economic contributors to coastal communities, are socially and culturally significant, and marine resources are regularly harvested for non-profit distribution within fishing communities and portions of the catch often are sold to defray expenses.
- Crimson jobfish are highly prized for their quality texture and delicate taste.
- Total catch for crimson jobfish in 2023 was approximately 80,000 pounds valued at $816,000, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fisheries landings database.
- Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch:
- Crimson jobfish are caught using weighted hook-and-line that branch into multiple lines with baited hooks.
- In 2023, recreational anglers in Hawaiʻi landed approximately 112,000 pounds of crimson jobfish, according to the NOAA Fisheries recreational fishing landings database.
- A light or chum bag with chopped squid or fish are often suspended as bait above the highest hook.
- Gear is deployed with electric reels in waters 80 m to 400 m deep.
- There is typically little bycatch in this type of targeted fishery.
Scientific Classification
- Crimson jobfish are distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
- They inhabit hard bottoms at depths from 40 to 120 fathoms.
Fishery Management
- NOAA Fisheries and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council manage crimson jobfish in the United States.
- Managed under Fishery Ecosystem Plans for American Samoa, Hawaii Archipelago, Mariana Archipelago, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas.
- Crimson jobfish is managed as part of multispecies stock complexes under these four ecosystem plans. There are annual catch limits in place for these six stock complexes.
- Commercial fishermen are required to have permits to fish in federal waters and report their catch.
- Recreational fishermen fishing in federal waters for Hawaii bottomfish are required to have permits and record their catch. There are no permit or reporting requirements for recreational fishermen fishing in federal waters for Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands bottomfish, but there are prohibited gear types and harvest techniques. Non-commercial fishing is prohibited within 12 nm of emergent land within the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument.
- Gear restrictions and operational requirements are in place to minimize bycatch and potential gear conflicts among different fisheries.
- A rebuilding plan was implemented in 2022 with the goal of rebuilding the Guam Bottomfish Multi-species Complex, of which crimson jobfish is a member, by 2031.
Harvest
- Fishery:
- Commercial, recreational, and non-commercial fishing in the Pacific Islands encompass fishing communities, habitats, and fishing practices spread over a vast area of nearly 1.5 million square miles of federal waters.
- Non-commercial fishing includes sustenance, subsistence, traditional indigenous, and recreational fishing. Non-commercial fisheries in the Pacific Islands are major economic contributors to coastal communities, are socially and culturally significant, and marine resources are regularly harvested for non-profit distribution within fishing communities and portions of the catch often are sold to defray expenses.
- Crimson jobfish are highly prized for their quality texture and delicate taste.
- Total catch for crimson jobfish in 2023 was approximately 80,000 pounds valued at $816,000, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fisheries landings database.
- Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch:
- Crimson jobfish are caught using weighted hook-and-line that branch into multiple lines with baited hooks.
- In 2023, recreational anglers in Hawaiʻi landed approximately 112,000 pounds of crimson jobfish, according to the NOAA Fisheries recreational fishing landings database.
- A light or chum bag with chopped squid or fish are often suspended as bait above the highest hook.
- Gear is deployed with electric reels in waters 80 m to 400 m deep.
- There is typically little bycatch in this type of targeted fishery.
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Chordata | Class | Actinopterygii | Order | Perciformes | Family | Lutjanidae | Genus | Pristipomoides | Species | filamentosus |
|---|
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Seafood Facts
Is Crimson Jobfish Sustainable?
U.S. wild-caught crimson jobfish is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Availability
Year-round
Source
U.S -wild caught around Hawaii and Pacific Islands Region territories.
Taste
Crimson jobfish has a delicate flavor.
Texture
Crimson jobfish has a firm texture and can be prepared in a variety of ways from steaming smaller-sized fish to fillets for sashimi.
Color
Crimson jobfish has a clear, light pink flesh.
Health Benefits
Crimson jobfish is a great source of lean, healthy protein and rich in vitamins.
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1; Serving Weight: 100 g (raw); Calories: 100; Protein: 20.5; Total Fat: 1.34 g; Total Saturated Fatty Acids: 0.285 g; Carbohydrate: 0 g; Total Sugars: 0 g; Total Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Cholesterol: 37 mg; Selenium: 38.2 mcg; Sodium: 64 mgSnapper Recipes
Looking for ways to add white fish like snapper into your rotation? If you need cooking inspiration, browse these recipes for sautéed snapper, seafood stew, and more!
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Science Overview
Crimson jobfish/‘ōpakapaka—one of the Deep 7 bottomfish species—have been collected across the Hawaiian Archipelago (Northwestern and main Hawaiian Islands) since 1978 from several different sources. Samples have been collected aboard NOAA vessels, purchased from commercial fishermen using NOAA funds, and donated by local recreational fishermen. The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center maintains metadata associated with samples, such as location, date, fish length, fish weight, and macroscopic sex identification.
Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center is responsible for conducting stock assessments of the Deep 7 bottomfish complex. These assessments are used to determine stock status from which the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council recommends annual fishery catch limits. NOAA researchers monitor the seven species of bottomfish in Hawai‘i by working with local fishermen and deploying underwater camera technology as part of the Bottomfish Fishery-Independent Survey in Hawaiʻi. These annual surveys assess the numbers and sizes of bottomfish around the main Hawaiian Islands. The center has continually strived to improve data used in the Deep 7 stock assessments and is working towards a single-species assessment for crimson jobfish.
Learn more about our research of the Main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 Bottomfish group
