Common name: Cobia, Black King, Black Kingfish, Black Salmon, Butterfish, Cabio, Cobla, Cod, Crab Eater, Crabeater, Cubby Yew

Japanese name: Sugi (須義)

Taiwan common name: 海麗仔、軍曹魚、海龍魚、黑魽、海麗(臺東)、海魚戾魚、錫臘白、海鱺、鱺魚、紅目鱺

Scientific name: Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766)

Characteristics:

Cobia (Sugi) is distributed in warm waters throughout the world except southern Japan and the eastern Pacific. It is found near the surface in coastal and offshore waters. The maximum length of the body is 150 cm. The appearance is similar to that of the live sharksucker (Kobanzame). The body color is brown with two light-colored longitudinal bands. As they mature, the longitudinal bands fade to a uniform grayish-brown color.

Sugi is not well known as a food fish due to its small distribution. It is mainly used as an ingredient in fish paste products. There was a time when it was introduced as being similar in texture to Greater amberjack (Kanpachi) and was called “Kuro-kanpachi”. It is a so-called substitute fish. Its white flesh is chewy and fatty, and it is used in a wide range of dishes such as sashimi, grilled with salt, and teriyaki. On Kouri Island in Okinawa, it has been successfully and completely farmed and is beginning to be used in conveyor-belt sushi restaurants.

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