Fish in Kauai – a Local Guide

My mom and dad love to visit Kauai for its natural beauty and great fishing. Not only do they enjoy fishing in the abundant waters of the tropical seas, they also have a great time preparing locally caught fish in Kauai the island-style kitchens that many Kauai vacation rentals offer. Last summer my folks stayed at a Princeville vacation rental on Kauai’s north shore and experimented with different ways to prepare several varieties of fish that they had purchased at nearby fish markets. Kauai’s north shore has two specialized fish markets that feature fresh caught fish and other seafood items. The Hanalei Fish Market offers fresh seafood by the pound and sushi rolls.  It is connected to the Hanalei Dolphin restaurant next door, where you can sit down for lunch and dinner.  In Kilauea the Kilauea Fish Market, located in the ’stone buildings’ in the heart of Kilauea village offers a variety of plate lunches and fresh fish for take home.

There are different seasons for different fish. Here are some of the most commonly found fish for sale in the market or often featured as the ‘catch of the day’ at island restaurants.

Ahi (’yellowfin tuna’) – This dark pink, almost red meat is most commonly used as sashimi and is often served raw or seared. You’ll see it prepared as poke with onion or seaweed and can be bought fresh at fish markets. Restaurants frequently feature it as an entree that can be crusted or blackened.
Best months for catching – May & June

Ono (’wahoo’) – Ono means ‘delicious’ and this lean, white meat is delicate and can be found featured at restaurants serving fish sandwiches or other fish entrees. Like ahi, when featured as a main course, it is often crusted, blackened or served with a Pacific Rim inspired sauce.
Best months for catching – May to August

Mahimahi – This light pink meat has a slightly sweet and delicate flavor. It can be prepared on the grill, in a fish sandwich or even as fish tacos.
Best months for catching – November to April

Opah (’moonfish’) – Not as commonly found on the menu as ono or ahi, Opah is quite popular with the locals, as it has a rich flavor best experienced in a fine, light sauce. This fish is not so good for the grill because of the delicate nature of the meat’s consistency and flavor.

Striped Marlin (’nairagi’) – Considered the finest for eating of all the varieties in the marlin family, the pinkish orange meat is often prepared the same way as ahi or swordfish. You will see marlin featured in fish and chips entrees and in its smoked state it can be purchased at fish markets by the pound.
Best months for catching – January to June

Swordfish – An ideal fish for grilling, swordfish can be skewered or cut into thick steaks. You also may find it featured in raw fish dishes or even served as sashimi much like ahi.
Best months for catching – June & July

When my mom and dad vacation in the islands, they always look forward to sampling the fresh local fish prepared in the island style.  They choose to stay in Hawaii rentals because of the flexibility to both dine at island restaurants and have fun with their own culinary experiments in the kitchen their accommodation provides. For fish lovers, this is option is especially enticing, as Kauai offers great fish markets for home-style grilling and fabulous restaurants for sampling island-flavored preparations of fresh seafood.