All speciesThe southern hamachi

Yellowtail Kingfish

Yellowtail Kingfish — the southern cousin of Japan's hamachi — is wild-caught around southern Australia and farmed in Spencer Gulf SA. World-class sashimi.

Seriola lalandi
Flavour: Rich, oily, buttery — Australia's premier sashimi finfish

Four reasons to choose local

Health

  • Higher omega-3 than imported hamachi
  • Antibiotic-restricted farming in Spencer Gulf
  • Premium sashimi-grade vitamin D and B12

Economy

  • Spencer Gulf farms underpin SA aquaculture diversification
  • Wild fishery important to NSW and southern QLD fleets
  • Premium export earnings to Asian markets

Environment

  • Spencer Gulf operations under SA aquaculture environmental code
  • Wild stock-status reports show healthy populations
  • Recreational trophy fishery is well-regulated

Taste

  • World-class sashimi (rivals premium Japanese hamachi)
  • Buttery flesh works equally raw, seared, or smoked
  • Crisp skin when seared properly

Sourcing

Yellowtail Kingfish is available both wild-caught and farmed.

Where it comes from

Yellowtail Kingfish is most strongly associated with these 4 Australian regions:

Nutrition (per 100g)

How Yellowtail Kingfish compares to imported equivalents on the headline nutrients consumers care about.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids1900mg1100mg
Protein24g21.5g
Selenium52µg34µg
Vitamin D8.6µg5.2µg
Vitamin B124.4µg2.8µg

Seasonality

When to enjoy Yellowtail Kingfish at its peak.

Janavailable
Febavailable
Maravailable
Apravailable
Mayavailable
Junavailable
Julavailable
Augavailable
Sepavailable
Octavailable
Novavailable
Decavailable
Peak Good Available Off-season

How to cook it

Four go-to preparations for Yellowtail Kingfish that respect the fish — short cooks, clean flavours, no over-doing it.

Sashimi

Slice against the grain, soy + wasabi only — top-tier raw fish.

Sear (tataki)

Sesame crust, sear 30 sec each side, slice and dress with ponzu.

Ceviche

Hand-dice, lime + jalapeño + coriander + olive oil.

Hot smoke

Brine 2h, smoke at 80°C for 90 min — stunning kingfish pâté.

Australian vs imported — at a glance

Australian Yellowtail Kingfish (wild and farmed) vs imported Japanese hamachi/buri — same family, very different supply chains.

Australia
Australian Yellowtail Kingfish
Spencer Gulf / NSW
🇦🇺 Local
Omega-3 (per 100g)1,900mg
Antibiotic regimeRestricted
Air-freight requiredNo
Days to plate2–3 days
Sashimi gradePremium
Price per kg (fillet)~$50
Overall rating: Australian Kingfish scores 9.2/10 — sashimi excellence with a far cleaner supply chain.
vs
Various
Imported Hamachi
Japan / Mexico
Omega-3 (per 100g)1,100mg
Antibiotic regimeOften heavy
Air-freight requiredYes
Days to plate5–10 days
Sashimi gradePremium
Price per kg (fillet)~$45
Overall rating: Imported Hamachi scores 6.8/10 — quality varies; antibiotic and air-freight concerns.

Read the full comparison →

The risks of the imported version

Typically imported from: Japan (hamachi/buri), USA, Mexico

  • Imported hamachi often farmed with significant antibiotic use
  • Long air-freight = compressed flesh and oxidised oils
  • Mislabelling between species (kingfish/amberjack/seriola)

See the full case against imported seafood →

How to buy it

🔍
Look for:

Ask for "Australian Yellowtail Kingfish" — wild from NSW or farmed Spencer Gulf both excellent.

From 1 July 2026, every restaurant menu in Australia must show A (Australian), I (Imported), or M (Mixed) for each seafood dish. Read the law →

Sources for this page

  1. Status of Australian Fish Stocks Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (2024)
  2. Heart Foundation omega-3 guidance National Heart Foundation of Australia