Pacific saury

The saury is a long fish.

It has a small mouth. Its body is dark green or blue. It has bright blue spots on its sides.

This fish lives in the big ocean. It likes to swim in groups. Young fish stay near floating seaweed. The fish eats tiny sea life.

In Japan, people call it the knife fish.

It looks like a long sword. People like to grill it for dinner. It is a tasty food to eat.

The Pacific saury is a long fish with a small mouth.

Its body is dark green or blue on top. The bottom is silvery. It also has bright blue spots on its sides.

These fish live in the North Pacific Ocean. They like to swim in large groups called schools. Young fish stay near floating seaweed. Adults swim far from land near the ocean surface. They eat tiny sea life like krill and small fish eggs. This is because they have short guts and no stomach.

In Japan, people call this fish sanma. The name means "autumn knife fish." This is because the fish looks like a long sword.

Many countries eat saury. In Korea, people make a dish called gwamegi. This is a half-dried fish made in winter.

In Russia, people often eat saury in cans. They may add salt, spices, or tomato sauce.

In the UK, people use the fish as bait for fishing.

The Pacific saury is a special kind of fish. It belongs to a group called Scomberesocidae.

This fish has a long, thin body and a small mouth. Its colors are dark green or blue on the top. The bottom part of its body is silvery. You might also see bright blue spots on its sides.

Most saury are about 30 centimeters long. Some can grow up to 40 centimeters in the autumn. These fish usually live for about four years.

These fish live in the North Pacific Ocean. They like water that is around 10 degrees Celsius.

Adults swim in large groups called schools near the surface. They can go as deep as 200 meters. Young fish stay near drifting seaweed to stay safe. The fish are oviparous, which means they lay eggs. These eggs have tiny threads on them. The threads help the eggs stick to floating seaweed.

Saury eat tiny things like krill and copepods. They also eat small fish eggs and larvae. They have short guts and no stomach to help them eat.

People have caught these fish for a long time. In 1950, Japan caught almost all of them. Japan caught about 98% of the total catch then. South Korea caught about 2% at that time. Later, the Soviet Union began fishing for them around 1960. Taiwan started fishing for saury around 1988. China began fishing for them in 2002. Now, China catches over 100,000 tons of saury every year. Many Taiwanese boats use LED lights to help the environment.

Many different countries enjoy eating saury. In Japan, the fish is called sanma. This name means "autumn knife fish" because it looks like a sword.

People often grill it with salt and eat it with rice. In Korea, the fish is called kkongchi. People in North Gyeongsang Province make a dish called gwamegi. This is a half-dried fish made during the winter.

In Russia, people buy saury in cans. They add salt, spices, or tomato sauce to it.

Saury is a very important part of many meals. In the UK, people use them as bait for fishing. They call them "blueys" there. This might be because they look like blue mackerel.

In Japan, there are even festivals for this fish. One is called the Meguro Autumn Sanma Festival. Some people even make a special sushi called sanma-zushi. This is a treat found near the Kii Peninsula. It uses salt and vinegar to pickle the fish.

The Pacific saury, known scientifically as Cololabis saira, is a distinctive species of fish. It belongs to the family Scomberesocidae. This fish is highly important in several East Asian cuisines. It is also a significant part of the North Pacific marine ecosystem.

The saury is a pelagic fish. This means it lives in the open ocean rather than near the shore. It is often found near the water's surface. However, it can also inhabit depths as deep as 200 meters.

The physical structure of the Pacific saury is quite specialized. It has an elongated body and a small mouth. A series of small finlets sit between the dorsal and anal fins. The fish also features a small, forked tail. Its coloration serves as a form of camouflage. The dorsal surface is dark green to blue. The underside is silvery. Small, bright blue blotches are distributed randomly along its sides.

Most caught fish are about 30 centimeters long. In the autumn, they can grow up to 40 centimeters. The average life expectancy for a saury is approximately four years.

Understanding how the saury survives requires looking at its diet and reproduction. The species is oviparous, which means it lays eggs. These eggs possess filaments on the shell surface. These tiny threads allow the eggs to attach to floating objects like seaweed. This is especially important for juveniles, who associate with drifting seaweed for safety.

To eat, the saury relies on zooplankton. This includes organisms like copepods, krill, and amphipods. They also consume the eggs and larvae of common fish, such as anchovies. Because the saury lacks a stomach and has short, straight intestines, it must feed in a specific way. It also carries harmless, red, earthworm-like parasites called Rhadinorhynchus selkirki in its internal organs.

The Pacific saury is a highly migratory species. It moves through vast areas of the North Pacific Ocean. Its range extends from China, Korea, and Japan eastward to the Gulf of Alaska. It also reaches southward to sub-tropical Mexico. These fish prefer water temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius. Adults typically live in large groups called schools. These schools are usually found offshore near the surface. When escaping predators like tuna, squid, or marine mammals, they may float on the surface.

Human history with the saury has changed significantly over time. Around 1950, Japan caught about 98% of the global supply. South Korea accounted for about 2% of the catch. Since then, Japan's proportional share has decreased. The Soviet Union fished the species from around 1960 until its dissolution. Taiwan began its fishery around 1988. China joined the industry in 2002. Today, China catches over 100,000 tons of saury every year.

In Taiwan, about ninety vessels participate in long-distance fishing. Their landings were 30,000 metric tons in 2021 and 40,000 metric tons in 2022. Many Taiwanese boats now use LED lights to reduce environmental impact.

Cultural connections to the fish are strongest in Japan and Korea. In Japan, the fish is called sanma. The kanji for sanma (秋刀魚) translates to "autumn knife fish." This name refers to its body shape, which resembles a katana sword.

It is a prominent seasonal food in autumn. It is often served salted and grilled with grated daikon oroshi. Some people even enjoy the bitterness of the intestines. In Korea, the fish is called kkongchi. In North Gyeongsang Province, people make gwamegi. This is a dish of half-dried saury made during the winter.

Other regions also have unique ways of using the saury. In Russia, the fish is called saira. It is often sold in cans with salt, spices, or tomato sauce. It can also be eaten smoked.

In the United Kingdom, the fish is sometimes called "blueys." This name likely comes from people confusing it with blue mackerel. In the UK, it is frequently used as bait for sea fishing. The saury is also chemically interesting. Its oil contains high levels of n-3 unsaturated fatty acids and long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids.