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Yellow-tailed Lacedra is the second, better-known name of a valuable breed of fish, which belongs to the “Scad” family and represents the “Scad-like” order, as well as the “Seriola” genus. These are pelagic fish that prefer to lead a schooling lifestyle. Valuable fish is common both in the coastal zone and in the open sea, inhabiting warmer water areas.
Yellowtail: description
“Seriola quinqueradiata” is a marine predator that is highly valued by the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun. They call this predator “storms” or “hamachi”. The size of medium-sized individuals is quite impressive: a length of at least one and a half meters, with a weight of about 40 kg. In fact, modern specialists separate the yellowtails and the lacewings. They believe that yellowtails and yellowtails are completely different types of fish. Yellowtails are not so impressive in size, as they grow in length up to 1 meter no more, with a weight of no more than 10,5 kg. In addition, yellowtails have a wider forehead, like pink salmon, and the mouth is noticeably shifted downwards. As for the lakedra, its mouth is located in the middle. However, the forehead is not that big. These factors are due to the characteristics of the diet.
It is important to know! Experts say that the yellowtail grows much more actively compared to the yellowtail. They believe that this fish should be called golden, but not yellowtail.
Appearance, dimensions
Fish of the genus “Seriola” is distinguished by an elongated, torpedo-shaped body, slightly compressed from the sides. The surface of the body is covered with small scales, about two hundred scales can be counted on the lateral line, while there are no scutes on the lateral line. Closer to the tail you can see a kind of leathery keel. The head is somewhat pointed, in the form of a cone.
The first dorsal fin of the yellowtail consists of 5 or 6 short but spiny rays, which are connected by a pronounced membrane. In front of the dorsal fin is a spine pointing forward. The second fin consists of more than 30 rays, but rather soft. The anal fin consists of 3 hard rays and about 20 soft rays. As a rule, the first pair of spiny rays is overgrown with the skin.
Interesting fact! The body of the yellow-tailed lacedra has a rather interesting coloring. In general, the body is distinguished by a silvery-blue hue that is darker towards the back. The fins are yellow. From the snout to the beginning of the tail there is a wide and well-marked yellow stripe. In this case, the strip passes through the eyes of the fish.
Lifestyle, behavior
The lifestyle of the yellow-tailed lacedra is somewhat reminiscent of the vital activity of mullets. This genus is distinguished by the fact that it can quickly and rapidly move in the water column, due to the torpedo-shaped body. The presence of a swim bladder allows the fish to feel great at different horizons.
Carrying out natural northern migrations, fish often move next to shoals of sardines, anchovies and mackerels, which are the basis of the diet of this predator. With the onset of cold weather, which is typical for autumn, adults of the yellow-tailed lacedra move closer to the southern waters, where they winter every year.
The yellowtail differs from the yellowtail also in that during the summer period, which lasts from July to October, yellowtails migrate from warmer water areas to cold waters, while they can reach Sakhalin and Primorye. During this period, yellowtails actively feed, fattening up nutrients.
How long does lacedra live
Similar representatives of the “Scad” family do not differ in longevity. The average life expectancy of the genus “Seriola” is about 12 years.
natural habitats
Representatives of the genus “Seriola” mainly inhabit the waters of the central and western parts of the Pacific Ocean. It is believed that the yellowtail is a representative of the waters of East Asia, and yellowtails are representatives of the waters bordering Korea and Japan. With the onset of summer, adults of the Lacedra begin to appear in the waters bordering Russia. In this regard, this species is found in Primorsky Krai, as well as off the coast of Sakhalin. Significant populations of this valuable fish are distributed along the coastal waters bordering Taiwan and up to the South Kuriles.
Fish diet
The basis of the diet of adult yellowtails is fish, so this species is considered predatory. Even individuals that have not reached sexual maturity feed on small fish, as well as zooplankton. Yellowtails hunt in flocks, collecting fish in the so-called “cauldron”. This diet includes the following types of fish:
- Sardinella
- Sardinops.
- Sardines.
- Anchovies.
- Toothed herring.
- Wolf herring.
- A good one.
When the fish is grown in artificial conditions, it is fed with minced meat, which is based on low-value fish species. Often, a special feed is used, based on fishmeal. It is believed that even such a diet is scarce, so the meat of such fish is less healthy and tasty. Despite this, fish grown in artificial conditions is no less valuable on the world market.
Important fact! When the yellowtail hunts, anchovies, herring or sardine randomly jump out of the water. The water itself seems to boil, resembling a seething cauldron in appearance.
Super fishing. Yellowtail (Japanese Lacedra) 9 kg
Reproduction and offspring
These fish reach the age when they are ready to lay eggs after a year and a half of life. The process of reproduction differs in some features. As a rule, the process itself takes a long period of time and stretches over several months. This is a heat-loving species of fish, therefore, spawning is carried out exclusively in the warm season, when the temperature conditions are the most optimal, which allows fry to be born in a timely manner.
After being born, the fry begin to settle in the water column, which is associated with the characteristics of the species. Growing individuals first feed on zooplankton, and then begin to hunt anchovy fry, horse mackerel, herring, etc. In appearance, the fry of the yellow-tailed jerky are a mirror image of adults, but in a reduced form. Regardless of whether it is an artificial habitat or a natural one, the fry of the Lacedra grow and develop quite quickly.
When individuals are grown in an artificial environment, then by the year it is possible to obtain a significant increase in body weight, which makes it possible to make a profit. Individuals that grow and develop in the natural environment are considered trophy only after 2 years of life, or even more. The heat-loving yellow-tailed lacedra is so popular in Japan that it is endowed with mystical properties. It has long been believed that this fish can bring good luck to a person.
Interesting to know! Artificial breeding of fish is due to the fact that the fry are sorted by age and seated in separate cages made of nylon or nylon. This prevents older fry from attacking weaker ones. In addition, it is easier to solve problems with a lack of oxygen.
Natural enemies
The yellow-tailed lacedra, although it is a predatory fish, has a sufficient number of natural enemies that are able to swim quickly, catching up with the lacedra. And yet, the main enemy (and this is not surprising) is a man who catches fish at a tremendous pace. This is primarily due to its unique taste.
In South Korea, they begin to actively catch this fish already in September and continue to do so until early December. After that, a break is made until February, after which they again begin to hunt for lacedra until the end of May. This fish prefers to stay at depths from 40 to 150 meters and is perfectly caught on jigs, as well as on wobblers by casting. It doesn’t take much to catch a yellowtail, so even inexperienced anglers manage to catch individuals weighing up to 10 kg.
When the fish is kept in an artificial environment, many individuals die from parasites and diseases from which all types of “seriole” suffer. Of particular danger is such a serious disease of bacterial origin as vibriosis, which is characterized by cholera-like symptoms.
Fishing value
The yellow-tailed lacedra is considered a valuable commercial fish. This fish is especially appreciated by the Japanese, therefore it is a popular object of fishing. In addition, fish are grown under artificial conditions on various farms or in areas of natural waters, but fenced off.
As a rule, fish are caught during the winter months, when they have the highest percentage of fat. Wild yellowtail has fairly dense meat, with a pleasant light aroma. At the same time, the meat does not lose its qualities under any cooking conditions.
The meat is considered a real delicacy, while it has a reddish tint, and tastes like tuna meat. Fish meat contains a whole bunch of useful components, such as minerals and vitamins. As a result of cooking, the lacedra meat brightens, but does not lose its main qualities. Sushi and sashimi are prepared from the raw meat of this fish. In fact, there are a huge number of recipes for preparing yellowtail, but the most popular cooking methods are baking and frying.
Sea fishing. Lacedra. Primorsky Krai.
Population and species status
The main number of yellowtail is observed in the territorial waters of Japan and Korea. Experts are sure that at present this species, despite the active catch, is not threatened by anything, and even more so by complete extinction.
Useful properties and methods of preparation
The yellow-tailed lacedra is considered a rather oily fish, so it is not suitable for preparing dietary dishes. 100 grams of lacedra meat contains up to 240 kcal, which indicates that this is not a dietary product at all.
Given the fact that fish meat contains many vitamins and minerals, as well as saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, yellowtail meat is quite useful, especially in cases where a person suffers from metabolic problems, high blood pressure, and problems associated with the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
To make the dishes really healthy, they are best steamed or baked in the oven. If you eat fried foods, then you need to remember that the calorie content of such dishes increases by 2 times. In addition, they are heavy on the stomach and are contraindicated for those people who suffer from problems with the digestive tract.
Lacedra meat has a dense structure, and this structure is preserved even after heat treatment. Therefore, the meat of this fish can be added to various salads.
Before baking, the fish is salted and peppered, after which it is placed on a baking dish greased with olive oil. After that, the fish is sprinkled with seasonings and poured over with fatty sour cream or cream, as well as hard grated cheese. The dish is placed in the oven and cooked at a temperature of 220 degrees for 20 minutes. No less delicious yellowtail baked in batter, based on cheese and sesame.
Yellowtail meat is perfect for cooking first courses, in the form of fish soup or various soups.
Fish fillets are used to prepare the Japanese dish Hamachi Nigiri, which is similar to sushi. The dish is prepared with almost the same ingredients. Fish fillets are cut into small pieces and placed on rice with wasabi, after which they are slightly compressed, giving a certain shape. This dish is also eaten, dipping portions in soy sauce or pickled ginger.
In addition to the benefits, lacedra meat can be harmful, especially for people prone to allergies, as well as for those whose body does not accept seafood. In addition, the fish should only be fresh, otherwise you can become infected with parasites. Therefore, it is better to use this fish after heat treatment. This is especially true in relation to the fish that is grown in artificial conditions.
Who is on a diet or wants to lose extra pounds, it is better to use other types of fish that are not so fatty.