Hawaiian Sea Bass

Hawaiian Sea Bass

Centropristis striata
Hawaiian Sea Bass

Average Weight/Length

Recorded to at least 8 pounds, but individuals weighing more than one pound are now rather uncommon, and a 3- or 4-pounder is a rare giant. World record 9 pounds, 8 ounces;

Other "Popular" Names for this Fish

Black Sea Bass, Blackfish, Talywag, Shapon, Hapu’ upu’ u, Hawaiian Grouper, Hapu’ u, Hawaiian Sea Bass, Merou (French), Hapuupuu, Seale’s Grouper, Mahata (

Location Habitat

Widely at home, both offshore and inshore. Likes rocky areas, wrecks, channels with hard bottom, jetties, deep holes in grass flats. Larger fish now stay mostly well offshore. Commonly found around rock jetties and on rocky bottoms in shallow water.

Biology & Physical Description

Hapu‘upu‘u (Epinephelus quernus), commonly called grouper or sea bass, is only known to occur in the Hawaiian Islands and at seamounts just northwest of Hawaii. Members of the grouper fish family are able to change skin colors to blend into their natural habitat, and the hapu‘upu‘u is no exception. Most hapu‘upu‘u seen in the market are black, but fish captured in certain locations may be brownish or reddish. Hapu‘upu‘u is a deep water bottomfish usually caught at between 50 and 150 fathoms. In general, larger fish are caught at greater depths. Color is generally black or charcoal, with blue highlights and tiny white spots or stripes on dorsal fin. Indistinct pattern sometimes present on sides, especially in small fish. In adults, the dorsal, anal and caudal fins may have feathery edges, and large males show a distinctive hump forward of the dorsal.

Geographic Species Map (Fishbase.org Map)

Summary of Distribution: Western Atlantic: Canada to Maine to northeastern Florida in USA and eastern Gulf of Mexico; reaches extreme southern Florida during cold winters.

Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)

Sport Fishing Techniques

Gill nets

Gill-nets are the dominant gear in the Indian Ocean. Gill-nets are used in artisanal and semi-industrial fisheries, contributing to 30-40% of the total catch. The net design is comprised of continuous panels of uniform mesh size, aimed to trap fish behind the gills. The International Sustainable Seafood Foundation (ISSF) notes that rates of sharks and turtle by-catch in Indian Ocean gill-net fisheries are high..

Kite Fishing (Rig)

A Kite Fishing Rig is....

Kite Fishing (Trolling)

Kite Fishing Trolling is when you are....

River Drift

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Trawling

Trawling is when....

Commercial Fishing Techniques

Vertical Hooking

Vertical Hooking is when....

Tackle & Baits

Light spinning and baitcasting tackle are the best choices. Sea Bass greedily hit live or dead shrimp and all sorts of cut baits, along with live small baitfish and artificial jigs and underwater plugs. They seem to be always hungry and willing to strike nearly anything they can grab.

Game Rating

Game Rating : 8.5/10

Game Description :

A hard and willing striker on both natural baits and a variety of artificial lures. Pulls hard for its size, but is too often caught on too heavy tackle.

Food Rating

Game Rating : 7.5/10

Game Description :

The flesh is mild and creamy semi flaky white flesh, is low in fat content, and as delicate in taste as that of Hawaii's Deep Sea Snappers.. Marketed fresh and eaten fried, broiled and baked. Smaller Hapu'upu'u (1-5 pounds) are a favorite in Chinese restaurants while the larger fish are typically filleted and distributed to be cooked in a variety of ways. It can also be portioned to be served raw as ceviche. Sadly, most Sea Bass caught these days are too small to be worthwhile. Steaming is a favorite method of preparing hapu‘upu‘u, especially small fish, in Hawaii. Hapu‘upu‘u is also used in ethnic restaurants to make sweet-and-sour fish and fish head soup.