Parrot Fish (Hareed)

Introduction

One of the most beautiful commercial fish of the Arabian sea, It’s hard to decide which of the colorful parrot fish’s many unique characteristics is most remarkable. Parrot fish – hareed, named for their strong resemblance to their avian counterpart, appear in an array of brilliant colors, ranging from coral reds to vivacious violets to bright turquoise.

Highly sought after in the Gulf, the parrot fish – hareed is not very common in Pakistan and only a few knows about this delicacy. However, the good news is that you can have it anytime from Niwan seafood.

Flavor Profile

Feeding on coral and algae gives parrotfish a sweet, shellfish flavor. It is a unique flavor, one that Pakistani people hold in high esteem. If you ever come across responsibly sourced parrotfish, we recommend giving it a try for dinner. The fillets are white, meaty, and easy to fry or grill.

Nomenclature

English Name: Parrotfish, Arabian Parrotfish
Local Name: Popat, Tota machli, hareed
Scientific Name: Scarus arabicus

Habitat

Parrotfish is a Sea fish that lives in shallow reefs, and reef fronts.

Catching Method

Parrot Fish is caught using gillnets.

Physical Attributes

Parrotfishes are sea fish and have scales. They are elongated, usually rather blunt-headed and deep-bodied, and often very brightly colored. They have large scales and a characteristic birdlike beak formed by the fused teeth of the jaws. The beak is used to scrape algae and the soft part of coral from coral reefs and is strong enough to leave noticeable scars in the coral

Color

Parrotfish’s coloration varies greatly between males and females. Females have yellowish bodies with light blue bands, but in males, the yellow is much less pronounced, and they appear bluer all over

Size

On average, the Parrot Fish size range is 500 to 2000 grams per fish. However, other sizes are also occasionally available.

Cutting Preferences

Parrot Fish is preferred for boneless cutting.

Approx. Cutting Yields

• Whole: 100%
• Gutted: 80%
• Headless and Gutted: 66%
• Slices: 72%
• Boneless: 41%

Cooking Preferences

Parrot Fish is preferred

Health Benefits

• Heart friendly
• Lowers Blood Pressure
• Improves Immune System
• Strengthens the bones
• Improves Skin and Hair health