What kind of fish is bonito

There are many types of fish, and fish is one of the most important meats in our lives. Among the wide variety of fish, it is normal for us to encounter some species that we are not familiar with. Bonito is a fish with very high economic value and delicious taste. Many people are deeply impressed when they eat it for the first time, but they don’t know much about bonito. So, what is bonito? Let’s take a look below.

Bonito, commonly known as bomb fish, belongs to the order Perciformes, the suborder Thunnus, the family Tuna, and the genus Bonito.

Bonito is a type of ocean fish, belonging to the tuna family. It is 1 meter long, with a spindle-shaped body, blue, sturdy, scaleless, smooth surface and a very developed tail fin. The main feature is that there are several longitudinal dark stripes on the flank of the body and linear spots on the dorsal side. The dorsal fin of bonito has 8 to 9 finlets; the anal fin has 14 to 15 rays and 8 to 9 finlets. The tail fin is crescent-shaped, with 4 to 7 longitudinal stripes on the sides of the body. The back of the body is blue-brown, the abdomen is silvery white, the fins are light gray, the head is large, the snout is pointed, and the tail is small. Except for the scales near the pectoral fins, the rest are naked. The larger ones are over 1 meter long, and the general body length is 400 to 500 mm.

Economic Value

Skipjack tuna is an economically important fish with excellent flavor. It can be made into bonito, canned food, and sashimi. However, there is a record of ciguatera poisoning.

Skipjack tuna is the main target of tuna purse seine fishing, and is also the target of trolling and drift net fishing. Like tuna, it is an important economic fish in the ocean. It can be eaten fresh or made into salted and dried products. The world's major fishing countries use bonito to process it into canned products, which are very popular in the European and American markets. Skipjack tuna has a wide distribution range. It can be found in waters of the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean where the water temperature is above 15 degrees Celsius. The reserves of skipjack tuna are abundant and the prospects for its development and utilization are optimistic.

The bonito stock often used in Japanese cooking is made from bonito. In Japan, bonito is cooked using a special process, with the bones removed and then smoked repeatedly. Because the smoked bonito is as hard as a piece of wood, it is also called "wooden fish". It is also known as bonito knots. The granular condiment made with smoked bonito as the main ingredient and various amino acids and nucleic acid raw materials is also called "wooden fish essence". It is one of the most commonly used condiments in Japanese cuisine and Japanese family restaurants.