【Reading】さんま

【English Name】Pacific Saury

Sanma (Pacific saury) is a blue-backed fish of the family Scomberesocidae in the order Beloniformes, inhabiting the North Pacific. The body is long and slender and shines silver, with a total length of around 35 cm and a lifespan of 1-2 years. Its use as a sushi topping is relatively new, and it is also served as vinegar-cured or pressed sushi. Early autumn, before the fat fully sets in, is suited to raw eating, and in the Kii Peninsula and Kansai region it is called "saira," where a culture of saury sushi (sanma-zushi) has taken root. Its peak season is autumn, heading south off the Sanriku coast from around September, with the main fishing grounds from off Nemuro to off Choshi. The catch has plummeted since the late 2010s, with the 2019 landing about 40,000 tons. It is rich in EPA and DHA, at about 297 kcal per 100 g. Freshness is judged by how upright the head stands when held by the tail, the clarity of the eyes, and the yellowish tinge of the mouth tip.