Common name: Yellow grouper, Banded grouper, Green hata

Japanese name: Aohata (青羽太、青鰭)

Taiwan common name: 青石斑魚、黃丁斑、石斑、過魚、中溝、白馬罔仔

Scientific name: Epinephelus awoara (Temminck and Schlegel, 1842)

Nigiri sushi detail: Yellow grouper (Aohata) Nigiri sushi

Characteristics:

Yellow grouper (Aohata) is distributed from Tokyo and waters south of Niigata to the South China Sea. It inhabits rather deep reefs and sandy muddy bottoms along the coast, but young fish can be found in shallower waters closer to shore. The body length is 40 cm. Its body color is yellowish brown with six dark transverse bands on the body and numerous yellow spots.

Compared to other grouper species, it has less fat and its flesh feels softer. It is caught in large numbers in northern Kyushu and is reasonably priced. In the Kanto region, it is sometimes used in Chinese and French cuisine.

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