Hawaii and California Longline Logbook Reports 2021
Logbook summary reports for the 2021 calendar year.
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Opah moonfish. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
Opah moonfish. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
U.S. wild-caught opah is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
The stock has not been assessed. Although the population level is unknown, management measures are in place.
Overfishing status is unknown, but management measures are in place.
Fishing gear used to catch opah rarely contacts the ocean floor so habitat impacts are minimal.
There is no directed fishery. Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch in the tuna and swordfish fisheries, which incidentally catch opah.
Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Chordata | Class | Actinopterygii | Order | Lampriformes | Family | Lampridae | Genus | Lampris | Species | guttatus |
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Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 05/17/2023
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 05/17/2023
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 05/17/2023
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 05/17/2023
U.S. wild-caught opah is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Year-round, but landings seem to peak from April through August.
U.S. wild-caught from Hawaii, California, and surrounding high seas.
Opah has a rich, creamy taste. The flavor is distinctive, a cross between tuna and swordfish.
Firm and fatty with large flakes.
Raw flesh ranges from dark red to orange to pink, and turns white when cooked.
Opah is a rich source of omega-3s, protein, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, phosphorus, and selenium. It is also low in sodium.
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 05/17/2023
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 05/17/2023
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 05/17/2023
NOAA Fisheries conducts various research activities on the biology, behavior, and population health of opah. The results of this research are used to inform management decisions for this species. Opah have not been assessed.
Opah are a mid-water pelagic fish that occur seasonally in the Southern California Bight. While they are not targeted, they are taken incidentally in both local recreational fisheries for tuna and the California drift gillnet fishery targeting swordfish.
Despite their value to commercial and recreational fishermen, little research on the basic biology and ecology of opah has been conducted, especially in the Southern California Bight. For example, there are limited data on foraging ecology, size composition in fisheries, essential habitat, and stock structure. Scientists at NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center have begun to fill some of the data gaps by collecting and analyzing biological samples since 2009 and initiating an electronic tagging program in 2011.
Genetic analysis has determined that there are multiple species of opah, those caught off California being a different species than those caught off Hawaii. Opah also appear to have a gill arch structure that has never been seen before. The unique structure might help scientists understand their ability to forage deep in the water column, from generally 50 meters at night down to 200 meters during the day. The vertical movements are likely due to opah following prey with similar migrations. Opah primarily forage on squid and deep water fish, such as barracudinas, a small elongated fish of up to 50 centimeters. Barracudinas are notable mid-water predators and they are an important food for large fish, such as tunas, swordfish, bigeye thresher shark and, evidently, opah.
NOAA scientists continue to conduct biological sampling and genetic analysis of opah to further explore intraspecific differences. This includes stomach processing to identify the important prey for opah and whether the diet changes with environmental conditions and dissections of the gills and whole fish to learn about the anatomy of opah and their swimming mechanics.
Scientists also hope to continue tagging opah to learn about their movements and range. This research will provide the basic life history information necessary for future population assessments and management. Historical catch data may also show correlations between opah catch and abundance with changes in sea surface conditions such as El Niño and La Niña.
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 05/17/2023
Logbook summary reports for the 2021 calendar year.
Logbook summary reports for the 2021 calendar year.
Logbook summary reports for the 2020 calendar year.
Logbook summary reports for the 2020 calendar year.
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 05/17/2023