Sea food includes lots of other types of marine organisms that can be eaten like the fish, which includes seaweed, bivalves(clams),cephalopods such as octopus an many more kingdoms and classes of organisms.

Before eating a fish consumers require at least to know that, this fish is lean or fatty, so that the consumers can decide the perfect method of cooking for that particular fish. Meanwhile most of the consumers feel that it is necessary to know the composition of their fish, whether it is nutritious and healthy in order to have a good health.

On the other hand, if the processors are unaware of those informations they might not be able to apply the correct preservation and processing techniques and labeling the product and standardizing the products.

Therefore it makes very important for all of us to know such informations minimum for a certain extent.

The edible part of the fish (muscle)

The edible part of the fish is the fish muscles. Then components of fish muscle includes, water (70% to 80%) and protein (15% to 20%) and fats (<5%) and small amounts of minerals, carbohydrates and vitamins.

These components of fish muscle vary between the species and within the fish species. This difference is mostly due to ash content of substances such as vitamins minerals. Fish obtains most of its energy from proteins and lipids as fish muscle does not contain lots of carbohydrates.

So let us go deep into how much of each of these contents and there fish muscle.

Water

The main constituent of fish muscle is water. This proportion of water can vary, but usually about 80% of the mass of fresh, white fish muscle and 70% of the mass of the fatty fish. The water in fresh fish so strongly held (bound) to the proteins that it is difficult to remove, with high pressure also. After being chilled or frozen for a long time, the proteins cannot retain water and some of it is lost.

Protein

The second main constituent of the fish is protein and is usually 15 to 20% of the wet weight of fresh fish. Proteins found in the skin and in the organs.

Lipid

Most of the fishes caught as commercial species can be classified as low fat, as they are less than 5% in fish. Lipid content of the fish also can vary, depending on species, as variation exists between fish with in the species, season, as they tend to store fat for spawning or migration and in temperate waters, before the winter season and diet, and location. Fish contains the healthier and unsaturated types. More over the fish oil posses 2 unique properties of food fats which make the fish oil to be a protection against heart diseases. Those properties are the huge number of odd carbon chains and many poly unsaturated fatty acids.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydtrates are present in fish muscle only in small quantity. And these carbohydrates are used only for immediate energy release, in cases like avoiding the predators and preying.

Vitamins

Vitamins found in the fish are of two types. They are water soluble vitamins and lipid soluble vitamins.

Fish flesh and gonads are a good source of many of the water soluble vitamins such as vitamin B.

Lipid soluble vitamins are found in fatty fishes. Vitamins found include vitamin A, D, E and K. some fish livers are so rich in these vitamins that they can be recovered as a byproduct; example is the shark liver oil.

Vitamin A is required for:

• The growth and repair of tissues lining the digestive and respiratory tracts.
• The development of the retina and the protection of childhood blindness
• Maintaining the body’s immune system.Vitamin D is required for:

Vitamin D is required for:

• The control of absorption of calcium from digestive tract.
• Bone and tooth formation.
• Calcium metabolism.

Vitamin K is an important factor in blood clotting mechanism.

Minerals

The mineral content of the fish flesh is usually 1 to 2% and is made up of a large number of minerals. When a fish is filleted, and the head, bones and skin are discarded, lots of mineral content is lost. Almost all the calcium and phosphorus are present in the skeletal part of the body.

The head of the fish is found to be an excellent source of iodine. And by eating small fishes and canned fish we can get lots of minerals as they are eaten the whole.

]]> http://maldivesseafood.com/featured/fish-as-food/feed/ http://maldivesseafood.com/fishing-countries/fishing-in-china-and-hong-kong/ http://maldivesseafood.com/fishing-countries/fishing-in-china-and-hong-kong/#comments Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:04:42 +0000 seamaster http://maldivesseafood.com/?p=64

One of the best places for a fishing trip is in China and Hong Kong .

A fishing vacation is never complete without fishing in the waters of Hong Kong and China. Hong Kong will offer you the kind of fishing that you will never forget. You may explore the fishing realms that the region has to offer. Hong Kong is once been known as an excellent seaport for fishing enthusiasts.

People may be after the food, shopping and the tourist spots of the region. But for people who are into fishing, Hong Kong can give more than what is expected of it as a city. To fish in Hong Kong is very exciting. You will be able to learn and experience the methods of fishing they have in Hong Kong.

Since it is surrounded by an ocean, this explains why most people fish in saltwater in Hong Kong. Targeting a fish is very simple. The ocean and the harbors are very accessible. You can fish in the harbors of Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kwun Tong or the Hong Kong Island.

In this country, saltwater fishing is done everywhere in the nearby sea. You will find fish everywhere in the water. There has never been a shortage of fish in this region. Tourists who come to fish can also visit Stanley, which is near Hong Kong. Stanley will be ideal for you if you are someone who wants peace, enjoy fishing quietly and away from the city life.

The Lamma Island and Sai Kung peninsula and are also spots suggested by local Anglers. These two places still have the features offered by a traditional fishing village. They also provide people with charter boats.

The Anglers in Hong Kong use the same saltwater fishing techniques that are used in the US. You can use your own techniques even if it’s deep sea fishing or surf fishing. Many people also use bloodworms or shrimps to catch fish.

If you are interested in fresh water fishing they also provides it. Carp, Big Head Tilapia, and Edible Goldfish are the types of fish that you will catch in these water reservoirs. However Tourists find it difficulty in fresh water fishing since the government requires a license to fish in Hong Kong

Travelling to Hong Kong to fish does not need much preparation for a fishing tour. You will be able to track down easily the hot spots of Hong Kong where you can enjoy fishing. Hong Kong is surrounded by water, which means that fishing is everywhere. You will be surprised that in a matter of hours, you are able to catch a bucketful of pan-sized fish.

]]> http://maldivesseafood.com/fishing-countries/fishing-in-china-and-hong-kong/feed/ http://maldivesseafood.com/crustacean/lobster/ http://maldivesseafood.com/crustacean/lobster/#comments Sat, 01 Nov 2008 11:48:53 +0000 seamaster http://maldivesseafood.com/?p=46

Lobster

Do you know that Lobster changes its outer shell when it grows ?This is Molting and a new shell grows over it .Like growing a new shell after leaving from its body it can also re grow legs and claws that have fallen.

They live on rocky bottoms like coral reefs, on sandy beaches and lagoons. They get shelter in Rocks containing holes and under the rocks. It does not go into the deep ocean floor; you will find most of them living ten to hundred feet deep. They come out from the hole only to feed them self.

Mainly they eat live fish, mollusks, crabs, clams snails. Sometimes they are Scavengers and feed on dead animals. When they are on captivity, they may eat other lobsters too. Usually they feed during night. They eat old shell when it molts.

They belong to the group Crustaceans. Don’t be mistaken that it is a fish, as some brings it under the category of Shellfish. They have no backbone to support their bodies. Where as its shell forms an outer skeleton to support it. They are Invertebrates.

They have five pairs of limbs each of them for different purpose, four legs for walking. In addition, front legs are used to hunt animals to eat and to defend it with claws at the end. As the two claws are of deferent sizes the biggest one is for crushing and the other for biting.

They start mating at the age of 8 years and they are able to reproduce thousands of tiny eggs every two years and when baby lobsters are able to swim they go near the water surface where many of them become victims of fish and other sea creatures. The rest swims into the ocean floor at the age of five weeks.

They live more than 15 years depending the environment, mostly in Aquarium their life expectancy would be longer. World heaviest lobster weighs 20 kilograms.

Out of all the sea foods the tastiest of all is Lobster. There three varieties of it in Maldives and they are one of the delicious in the world. Normally you can get it to eat from the best restaurants in Maldives. They a little expensive but the taste will forget it, I guarantee you.

They are caught in Maldives by diving into shallow water with gloves on hand. Though this method is a little difficult but its Environmental friendly .Catching in this way, they could avoid illegal sizes and Lobsters having Eggs.

Most fishermen around the world catch them by trapping in pots called lobsterpots. These pots are made with wooden or metal bars; they have nets fitted in it so that the lobsters cannot get out from it once they get in. Fish are kept in pot as baits to get the attraction of lobsters towards it.

Seafood are Fish, Shellfish and Seaweed

Seafood is divided into 3 main categories - Fish, Shellfish and Seaweed.

Fish are one of the main food resources for humans and many other creatures. Among them are Salt water and fresh water fish.

Salt-water fish lives in the sea in salt water. Some of them makes their home in coral reefs and others live in deep water.

Although there are 27000 species of fish in the world, only a handful of them are selected to eat. Some of them are:

Tuna

Barracuda

Mackerel

Snapper

Cod

Tilapia

Haddock

Trout

Carp

Anchovy

Salmon

Shellfish is divided into 3

1. Mollusks - which are clam,mussel,oyster,winkle,and scallop.
2. Crustaceans-like,shrimp, Crabs, Lobster ,prawns and crayfish.
3. Echinoderms - commonly not used by all but Asians do eat sea urchin and sea cucumber.

Just a minute one more thing,Edible cephalopods,in this group you will find octopus,squids,cuttlefish and snails.

Alright,now you know seafood better and know the different types as well.

]]> http://maldivesseafood.com/types-of-seafood/fish-shellfish-seaweed/feed/ http://maldivesseafood.com/echinoderms/seacucumber/ http://maldivesseafood.com/echinoderms/seacucumber/#comments Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:24:20 +0000 seamaster http://maldivesseafood.com/?p=34

Echinoderms

Sea cucumber and Sea urchin belongs to the group Echinoderms.

Sea cucumber.

It is a sea food belonging to the group Echinoderms.This is mostly used by Asians to eat .

It is found on the sea floor world wide.In Maldives it live at the bottom of shallow lagoons and reefs where there are corals and sea weeds.

They are cucumber shaped with a hard leathery body.

They have feathery tentacles surrounding their mouth.

They have five rows of suckers-tube feet.

Generally they feed on dirts, mud,debris and waste of creatures - they are scavengers.

And with the help of their feathery tentacles they get their foods.

They are known as Reef cleaners.

Types of Sea cucumber in Maldives.

Prickly red fish - Alanaasi

Giant Beache De-mas - Kaggala

Elephant trunk fish - Elephantu

Green fish - Feeru

Surf red fish - Mushi

Lolly fish - holhi

White teat fish - Hudhubattu or Kolhubatu

Black fish - Kolhukiru.

Sea urchin

This is a small, spiny sea creature.

They are found in oceans all over the world.

In Maldives a large amount lives on the Reef.It is preserved creature in Maldives.

Its main food is algae ,and mussels, sponges and brittle stars are also eaten by them.

Some of the countries who use it as a food are:

Korea

Japan

Chile

Spain

Greek

Italy

Lebanon.

Many countries like Chile export to Japan as a large amount of Sea urchin is used in their cuisine.

From this group Sea cucumber is the only product that we Export from Maldives.And there are great opportunities for those who like to Invest on farming them.

]]> http://maldivesseafood.com/echinoderms/seacucumber/feed/ http://maldivesseafood.com/seafood-recipes/cuttlefish/ http://maldivesseafood.com/seafood-recipes/cuttlefish/#comments Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:48:39 +0000 seamaster http://maldivesseafood.com/?p=30

Amazing Crabs

Crabs are an amazing animal from the same group of lobster called crustaceans. Like other crustaceans, these are boneless and their bodies are covered with a hard shell that protects its internal bodies.

These little creatures has many attributes that can adapt many changing environments. Although, most of them live in Oceans, sometimes they come out on the beach. Apart, from sea water crabs there are fresh water ones also. They can move and run sideways using tips of its legs on sandy and muddy beaches. It gets shelter and protection on holes dug by it.

This crustacean have two feelers or antennae and compound eyes, as a result it can see very well. They can find food and mate very easily because of its advanced senses of smell and taste.

It has five pairs of legs; the first with powerful claws at the end. The other four pairs for walking and running and the back pairs are some times used to paddle through the water.

When immature one grows larger, old shell is not needed and a new shell grows over its body. This unprotected state, not having a shell on its body is the most dangerous moment in their life. Because there is the possibility of being eaten by other creatures.

You will find some of these that do not have a hard shell, over their whole body and to save from harm of the bare parts where there is no shell it gets other shells like snail shell. One kind of this is Hermitcrabs. Claws of them are used for many purposes; to protect it from predators, to fight and to hunt its prey.

Seafood recipes of these are delicious! King crab is the most famous among the people which grows up to 5 kilo grams.

There are many kinds that are eaten; some of them are Dungeness crabs, blue crabs or soft-shellcrabs.Between males sometimes fighting takes place in order to win the females.

]]> http://maldivesseafood.com/crustacean/crabs/feed/ http://maldivesseafood.com/types-of-fish/yellowfin-tuna/ http://maldivesseafood.com/types-of-fish/yellowfin-tuna/#comments Sun, 26 Oct 2008 04:16:02 +0000 seamaster http://maldivesseafood.com/?p=23

Facts about Yellowfin Tuna

English: Yellowfin Tuna.

Latin: Thunnus albacores.

Dhivehi (Maldives language): Reedhoo uraha Kanneli.

Normal size: 3 ft to 5 ft

Usual weight: Between 5-60 kg.

Biggest Fish Caught: 175 kgs, Mexico 1977 by Curt Wiesenhutter.

Catching Areas: It is found every where in open waters of Maldives.

Around the world:

36% Western Pacific

26% Eastern Pacific

24 % Indian Ocean including Maldives

14% Atlantic Ocean

Catching Methods: In Maldives majority are caught by Pole and line and some by Trolling.

Other countries: usually purse seining, also long-line.

Share of all Tuna Caught: About 35% or 1.100.000 m/t.

Major Manufactures: Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, Spain, Italy.

Life Cycle: About 4-7 years.

Major Markets of Maldives: USA, Europe, Japan, Thailand and Srilanka.

International Markets: Japan, Western-Europe, United States.

Major products of Maldives: Chilled whole fish, Frozen Loins, Chilled Loins.

Production of Other countries: Canned, Chilled whole fish, Frozen Loins, Chilled Loins, Fresh Fillets, Smoked.

Yellow fin tuna is caught in abundance each year in Maldives. Commercially it is a very important Fish in Seafood and Fishing Industry of Maldives. A huge amount of it is exported to various countries such as USA, Europe, Japan, Thailand and Srilanka .As a result, a good amount of income is generated to the country by exporting it.

Probably, its name is derived by the color of the second dorsal fin and the anal fin, having bright yellow color. The pectoral fins are very long and its back is very dark metallic blue and gradually the color fades to silver in the area of belly. And in the belly you will find approximately 20 beautiful horizontal lines.

It is a Fast runner which can cover a huge distance around the world within hours and they have companions accompanying with them like Dolphin, whales, whale sharks, they are found between 45oN and 40oS.As most of Tuna families the feed on other fish ,crustaceans, squids and cuttlefish.

One of the habits of this fish is that it schools with the same size of fishes. That’s why during fishing same size fishes are caught.

Maldives law prohibits the use of Nets to fish to preserve the live stock of the Ocean which only a few countries around the globe adopt. Allowed methods are pole and line, Trolling, Long line fishing and using fishing lines with free hand. It is real fun to catch it with rod and reel because of its strength and speed.

It is a very famous Protein rich food source you will find in many Maldives and world wide Restaurants. Its flesh is dark red in color which looks like red meat. Recipes of Tuna are fine and tasty; a very famous food for the Japanese table, Sashimi and Sushi. Great dishes of it are prepared by Grilling, Barbecuing, Shallow and deep Frying and by Smoking.

]]> http://maldivesseafood.com/types-of-fish/yellowfin-tuna/feed/ http://maldivesseafood.com/seafood-recipes/yellowfin-tuna-recipes-are-tasty-and-healthy/ http://maldivesseafood.com/seafood-recipes/yellowfin-tuna-recipes-are-tasty-and-healthy/#comments Sun, 26 Oct 2008 03:29:45 +0000 seamaster http://maldivesseafood.com/?p=20 Yellowfin tuna recipes can be prepared in many ways. It depends on your personality; which ever method I can probably say it will be tasty and healthy as well.

One of my favorite method is grilling. Grilling is something very simple and easy. It can be grilled in many ways. Ok, Lets grill some tuna fillets.

Grilled Yellow fin Tuna - The simplest way

Ingredients:

500g yellowfin tuna steaks

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp pepper powder

2 tbsp lime juice

salt to taste

Preparation

Cut tuna into 1 inch thick layers.

Mix pepper, lime and salt with tuna steaks and keep to marinade for atleast 30 minutes.

Place tuna steaks on a grill.

Put some butter on top and grill for 5-6 minutes.

Turn the steaks over and put some butter on top and grill for further 5-6 minutes or until it flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Serve hot.

Making the pizza dough

1 cup warm water(105-115F)
3 cups all-purpose flour(but bread flour will give u a crisp one)
3 tbsp olive oil or 2 tbsp butter
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast

Add salt,sugar and yeast into warm water and keep it for about 10 minutes.
Mix flour and olive oil in a bowl.
Pour in the water mixture little by little with mixing making sure you dont make it too wet.
Knead the dough with your hand until the dough is smooth.
Coat the dough with olive oil and cover with kitchen wrap or you can use a grocery bag too.
Let the dough to rise for about 1 hour or 1 1/2 hour.
Punch it down to deflate, and leave for another hour.
Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and stretch from center to outwards making a round shape.
Spread a bit at a time, by spreading half and leave for about 10 minutes and spread the remaining until the dough is 1/2 inch in thickness.
Pinch the very edges with your finger tips forming a lip as in pies.

1)Preparing the pizza topping

1 can tuna 185g (if you like you can use fresh fish too)
1 onion (sliced thinly)
2 capsicum (sliced thinly)
1 tomato (sliced thinly)
3-4 mushrooms (sliced)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 green chilli (chopped)
1 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a pan and add the sliced onions, chilli and capsicum.
Fry until golden brown.
Add in tomato paste and cook for a minute.
Add in the tuna, mushrooms and salt and cook for 2 minutes.
If you are using fresh fish you need to cook further for about 6 - 8 minutes until the fish is fully cooked.
If you are using canned tuna don’t add too much salt as most of the canned food contains salt.
Remove from heat and keep aside to cool.

Preparing the Pizza

Brush olive oil in the dough.
Spread tomato sauce on top of the dough.
Sprinkle the pepper powder.
Place the pizza toppings on the pizza.
place the sliced tomatoes on top of the toppings.
Finally sprinkle cheese on top.
Bake the pizza in an oven at 400-450F for about 15 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.
If you like to have more cheese sprinkle as desired at the end of the cooking time.

2)Preparing the pizza topping

1 can tuna 185g (or if you like fresh fish cut into small cubes and cook until fully cooked you can boil,steam or bake)
3-4 mushrooms (sliced)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 capsicum (sliced)
1 tomato (sliced)
1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp black pepper powder

Preparing the Pizza

Brush olive oil in the dough.
Spread tomato sauce on top of the dough.
Sprinkle the pepper powder.
Sprinkle half of the cheese.
place the tuna, tomatoes, capsicum and mushrooms each at a time forming a layer of each.
Finally sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Bake the pizza in an oven at 400-450F for about 15 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.