Japanese amberjack is a fish of coastal and open waters around Japan and Korea, where it is raised for food. It has a blue back, a silvery belly, and a faint yellow line along each side. Japanese amberjack is also called yellowtail or hamachi.

Appearance

Appearance
It has a blue back, silvery belly, and a faint yellow line along each side. The rear corner of its upper jaw is angular.

Look-alikes

California yellowtailSeriola dorsalis

A wild yellowtail caught off California is usually this northeastern Pacific species. Japanese amberjack lives mainly around Japan and Korea, so the catch location helps when the fish look alike.

Why they get mixed upBoth are amberjacks with a yellow line along the side.

Where it lives

Typical habitats
  • Northwest Pacific coastal waters
  • Open water
Range
Its native range centers on the seas around Japan and Korea; it is not a typical wild fish along the mainland U.S. coast.

Behavior

Diet
In Korean waters, larger fish eat small fish and squid.
Activity
Adults often swim in groups, while young fish shelter among floating seaweed.

Life cycle

Reproduction
Eggs are released into open water.

Conservation

IUCN Red List
LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction

Culture and stories

Culture and stories
  • In U.S. seafood, “yellowtail” can refer to several fish, so the scientific name helps identify this one.
9 sources
  1. iNaturalist taxon 194667
  2. 국립수산과학원 방어
  3. 수산물안전정보서비스 방어
  4. 일본 농림수산성 생선 속담
  5. 일본 수산연구·교육기구 방어 자원평가
  6. FishBase Japanese amberjack
  7. FDA Seafood List: Seriola quinqueradiata
  8. FDA Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance, Appendix 6
  9. Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife: Yellowtail amberjack
Japanese Amberjack (Seriola quinqueradiata) — identification, habitat & look-alikes | Moeyo