Fish Photos, Fishing Info, Angling, Catching Fish, Cooking Fish

Australian Fish Photos, Seafood Photographs and Information

Custom Search

 

Sea-Ex is celebrating
27 YEARS of assisting Seafood, Marine & Related Companies with online marketing!

Advertise Your Company on Sea-Ex - Click Here

 

Directory & Info for Fishing, Angling, Fishing Tackle, Fishing Guides, Fly Fishing, Bass Fishing, Sports fishing, Game Fishing....
Info on All types of Fishing | Angling | Fishing Tackle etc.

 
Glossary of Fish, Seafood and Fishing Terms
 
Australian Fish Bag Limits and Size Regulations

Photos of Australian Seafood, Fish, Crustaceans & Cephalopods and Information on each...

Abalone, Blacklip
Albacore Tuna
Baler Shell
Barbounia, Tiny
Barracouta
Barramundi
Bass, Sea
Batfish
Batfish, Silver
Blackfish
Boarfish
Bonito Tuna
Bonito, Watson's Leaping
Bream
Bream, Butter
Bream, Slate
Bug, Moreton Bay (Slipper Lobster)
Bug, Balmain
Butterfish
Calamari, Southern
Carp, European
Catfish, Blue
Catfish, Lesser Salmon
Cockles
Cod, Bar
Cod, Blue eye
Cod, Coral Rock
Cod, Ghost
Cod, Maori
Cod, Murray
Cod, Southern Rock
Cod, Spotted
Cod, Tomato
Cod, Wirrah
Cod, Yellow Spotted
Coral Trout
Cowanyoung
Crab, Blue Swimmer
Crab, Champagne
Crab, Giant
Crab, Mud
Crab, Spanner
Crawfish
Cuttlefish
Dart Fish
Dolphin Fish
Dory, John
Dory, Mirror
Dory, Silver
Drummer, Southern
Eel, Longfin
Emperor, Red
Emperor, Red Throat
Flathead
Flounder, Small Toothed
Flutemouth, Rough
Frost Fish
Garfish
Gemfish
Goatfish
Grouper
Gurnard, Red
Gurnard, Spotted
Hairtail
Hump Headed Maori Wrasse
Hussar
Jackass Fish
Jacket, Ocean
Jacket, Sea
Jewfish
Jobfish, Gold Banned
Jobfish, Rosy
Kingfish, Yellowtail
Latchet Fish
Leatherjacket, Reef
Ling
Lobster Eastern Rock
Lobster Southern Rock
Long Tom
Luderick
Mackeral, Jack
Mackerel, Slimey
Mado
Mahi Mahi
Mangrove Jack
Marlin, Black
Marlin, Blue
Marlin, Striped
Melon Shell
Monkfish
Mono
Moon Fish
Morwong
Morwong, Red
Mullet - Roe
Mullet, Diamond Scale
Mullet, Red
Mullet, Sea
Mullet, Yelloweye
Mulloway
Mussels Black
Mussels Greenlip
Nanygai
Octopus
Orange Roughy
Oreo, Black
Oyster, Native
Oyster, Pacific
Oyster, Sydney Rock
Parrot Fish
Parrot Fish (2)
Perch, Ocean
Perch, Saddle Tail Sea
Perch, Silver
Perch, Splendid
Perch, Stripey Sea
Pig Fish
Pike
Pineapple Fish
Prawn, Banana
Prawn, King
Prawn, Red Spot
Prawn, School
Prawn, Tiger
Queenfish, Needleskin
Rainbow Runner
Redclaw Crayfish
Redfish
Ribaldo
Ribbon Fish
Rudder Fish
Salmon, Atlantic
Salmon, Australian
Scad
Scallops, Queensland
Scallops, Tasmanian
Scorpion Fish, Raggy
Shark
Shark Black Tip
Shark, Blue
Shark Bronze Whaler (Dusky)
Shark, Bull
Sharks Fins
Shark, Gummy
Shark, Mako
Shark, School
Shark, Tiger
Shark, Whiskery Reef
Shark, White
Shrimp, Mantis
Sicklefish
Silver Biddy
Snapper
Snapper, Big Eye
Snapper, Fry Pan
Snapper, Gold Band
Snapper, King
Snapper, Red
Snapper, Red Tropical
Sole
Sole, Tongue
Squid, Arrow
Squirrel Fish
Stargazer
Stingray, Butterfly
Stripey Sea Perch
Surgeonfish, Sixplate Sawtail
Sweetlip, Slatey
Sweetlip, Yellow
Swordfish
Tailor
Tarwhine
Tilefish, Pink
Trevally, Big Eye
Trevally, Golden
Trevally, Silver
Triple Tail
Trout
Trumpeter, Striped
Tuna, Albacore
Tuna, Bigeye
Tuna, Bluefin
Tuna, Longtail
Tuna, Skipjack
Tuna, Striped
Tuna, Mackerel
Tuna, Yellowfin
Venus Tusk Fish
Whiting, Sand
Whiting, School
Wrasse
Yabby, Freshwater Crayfish
Yellowtail
FULL LIST of Fish & Seafood

Beche De Mer
(Sea Cucumber - Trepang)

Amberfish
Blackfish
Black Teatfish
Brown Sandfish
Curryfish
Elephants Trunks fish
Greenfish
Lollyfish
Pinkfish
Prickly Redfish
Sandfish
Stonefish
Surf Redfish
White Teatfish

Sea-Ex Seafood Trade Directory
Directory of Seafood Companies by Species Imported, Exported, Wholesale, Processors & Producers
Click Here for SEAFOOD DIRECTORY

Commercial Seafood Directory
Sea-Ex Seafood, Fishing, Marine Directory
Aquaculture Directory
Seafood Trading Board
Commercial Fishing
Seafood Information by Country
Australian Fish Photos & Info
Interesting Fish Facts & Trivia
Country Directories
Thailand Business Directory
Seafood:
Wholesale Seafood Suppliers Australia
Wholesale Seafood Suppliers International
Retail Seafood Sales
Seafood Restaurants
Seafood Recipes
Seafood Information
Seafood Industry Resources

Bonito Tuna (Sarda australis & Sarda orientalis)
Photographs and Information


These two closely related fish are usually called bonito or Australian bonito, although this is often shortened to "bonny" or "bonnie". In some areas, these fish are also known as "horse mackerel" or "horsies". These two bonito may also be confused with a smaller, sub-tropical species known as the Watson's leaping bonito.



These two closely related fish are usually called bonito or Australian bonito, although this is often shortened to "bonny" or "bonnie". In some areas, these fish are also known as "horse mackerel" or "horsies". These two bonito may also be confused with a smaller, sub-tropical species known as the Watson's leaping bonito.

A surface fish which is blue-green above and silvery below with dark narrow bands extending the entire length of the body.  The fins are grey.  It's body is elongated and rounded and very streamlined, and has a single row of small teeth on both jaws.

Bonito have moderately large, strong jaws which carry a single row of relatively small, but distinct, conical teeth. They are generally dark green to blue on the back, silvery-green on the sides and silvery-white on the belly. A series of dark, longitudinal stripes are evident along the fish's upper and middle flanks. When fresh, these stripes may be broken into separate dashes by lighter, vertical bars. The stripes of the bonito are limited to the fish's upper and middle flanks, while those of the striped tuna or skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) are found on the lower flanks and belly.

Bonito are found around the entire coast of Australia and feed on small baitfish in coastal waters.  They grow to a maximum weight of about 5 kg.

Bonito are common to southeast coastal waters of the continent but can be found from Qld. around to W.A. The Australian Bonito continuously migrates along the east coast from southern Qld. to eastern Vic., Tas. and S.A. Similar species like the Oriental Bonito (Sarda orientalis) are found only in the southern coastal seas of W.A. and the Leaping Bonito [Watson's leaping bonito] (Cybiosarda elegans), a tropical species, can be found from northern Australia and occasionally further south along the east and west coasts. They prefer coastal waters attracted mainly to inshore and offshore reefs, inshore islands, rocky headlands, rocky inshore waters, ocean rocks and wharves often forming into large schools. The Leaping Bonito is known to frequent estuaries in search of bait fish populations during the winter months.

Available wild-caught, these free-swimming, marine fish, from the same family as Tunas, live in schools in open waters over the continental shelf off the eastern, southern and south-western coasts of Australia from Cape York (Qld) to Exmouth (WA), with Australian Bonito found in the east, Oriental Bonito in the west, and Leaping Bonito in tropical and sub-tropical waters along both the east and west coasts (venturing into estuaries in winter).

They often school with other Tunas near the coast. Australian Bonito, which makes up the bulk of the commercial catch, is caught using lines and purse seines and sold mostly in Sydney. Oriental Bonito is occasionally trolled off WA and a small quantity of Leaping Bonito is caught of NSW.

They’re generally all marketed simply as Bonito and look very similar, with blue-green torpedo-shaped bodies fading to silver on the belly and dark blue-grey stripes covering both upper and lower body; the stripes on Australian Bonito are almost completely horizontal, while those on Oriental and Leaping Bonitos are more slanted.

Bonito Tuna (Sarda australis & Sarda orientalis) photo

Map showing where Bonito Tuna (Sarda australis & Sarda orientalis) are found in Australian waters

How to distinguish from leaping bonito: no spots or dots on body, narrow stripes on sides.

 

Scientific Name Sarda australis
Sarda orientalis
Location Australia wide
Season Available all year
Size To 102 cm and 5 kg
Australian Species Code 37 441020
Taste, Texture Strong taste, firm texture.

 

Nutritional Information
For every 100 grams raw product
for Tuna fillet.

Kilojoules 521 (124 calories)
Cholesterol 30 mg
Sodium 37 g
Total fat (oil) 0.5 g
Saturated fat 33% of total fat
Monounsaturated fat 13% of total fat
Polyunsaturated fat 54% of total fat
Omega-3, EPA 14 mg
Omega-3, DHA 100 mg
Omega-6, AA 15 mg

 

Other Bonito Links:

TUNA RECIPES

Exporters of Bonito
Importers of Bonito 
Processors of Bonito 
Wholesale Suppliers of Bonito
Seafood Agents for Bonito


Angling & Fishing for Bonito:

Bonito can be caught by trolling a small lure just offshore and around offshore reefs. Bonito respond to the same techniques which take skipjack and mackerel tuna, and also fall for those employed to target salmon, tailor and kingfish. Boat anglers sometimes take good hauls by trolling diving minnows parallel with the shoreline, close to headlands and rock ledges, or by casting and retrieving lures around "washes" of broken white-water adjacent to these areas. Land-based anglers also do well at times by casting and retrieving lures from the ocean rocks, jetties and breakwalls. In addition to lures and flies, bonito will attack pilchards and garfish rigged on ganged hooks, as well as live baits and strip baits or cubes of fish flesh , especially when these are free-lined in a berley trail.

 


Cooking Bonito:

The flesh of Bonito is very strong, oily and "meaty" taste.  It is extremely good bait for reef fish. Usually sold whole, sometimes available as sashimi. In whole fish look for lustrous skin, firm flesh, and a pleasant, fresh sea smell. Cooking Methods are to Pan-fry, bake, grill, barbecue, smoke, raw (sashimi), pickle. Recipes for Tuna Rolls, Tuna Cheese Melt, Tuna salad, nutritional information on tuna and easy fish recipes.

Read more about Cooking Bonito Tuna and Bonito Recipes


Commercial Fishing for Bonito:

Australian Bonito is fully fished in Australia. It is a relatively fast growing species that supports seasonally significant commercial and recreational catches. Line methods within the Ocean Trap and Line Fishery account for the majority of the catch. Listed here are details of companies and contacts that are exporters of bonito, importers of bonito tuna and processors, wholesale supply of bonito.

 


More links about Bonito and Australian Bonito Information

New South Wales wild fish program, Australian Bonito information, Queensland government Dept Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry information on Australian Bonito, contacts from Sea-Ex Trade Seafood Industry directory for importers, exporters, wholesalers, processors of bonito.

 


 

 

 


©1996 - 2024 Sea-Ex Australia Sea-Ex Seafood Fishing Home Page
Any problems regarding this page, please contact webmaster [at] sea-ex.com
 

Disclaimer  |  Privacy Policy  |  Cookie Policy