Availability & Seasonality

The largest landings of hapu‘upu‘u usually occur in the fall and winter (October-December) and in the spring (February-April). The majority of the hapu‘upu‘u catch in recent years has come from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Most of the hapu‘upu‘u caught off the main Hawaiian Islands are from 5 to 10 pounds in size, whereas the waters around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands yields fish mostly in the 10 to 30 pound size range

Product Forms & Yields

Most of the hapu‘upu‘u is landed as whole, iced fish. The fish is initially sold head-on so that buyers can assess product quality by the clarity of the eyes and the color of the gills. The ethnic and household retail market components have a strong preference for smaller fish (1 to 5 pounds in round weight) that can be steamed head-on. The larger-sized fish harvested in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are filleted for the restaurant market. Although the skin is tough, the flesh is easy to fillet due to the lack of small bones. However, the waste factor is higher for hapu‘upu‘u, due to its large head, than for substitute species, and the lower yield (40% of round weight) has discouraged wider use by restaurants.

Shelf Life & Quality Control

Hapu‘upu‘u keeps well (2 weeks) when properly brined and iced after capture. The only quality problem which may arise is the occasional presence of saclike parasites in hapu‘upu‘u flesh. The sac may be cut out of the flesh and is harmless if eaten.