Amberjack

The common name for fast-swimming ocean fish of the genus Seriola, especially the Japanese amberjack, Seriola quinqueradiata — the hamachi of sushi counters. These members of the jack family grow large and powerful, yielding firm, rich, fatty flesh that suits raw preparations, grilling and smoking. Japan farms yellowtail on an enormous scale, and aquaculture is spreading to the Mediterranean and the Americas. Like other big predatory fish, amberjack demands careful handling: rapid chilling after harvest to hold down histamine, and awareness of ciguatera risk in wild-caught fish from tropical reef waters. Traceability matters as demand grows.