Emperor- Yellowlip

Dispatch Method:

Beware of the sharp dorsal and anal spines of yellowlip emperor when handling them. To maximise their eating qualities they should be killed humanely by iki jime or a firm knock to the head before placing them in an ice slurry after bleeding.

Fish Description:

• A stout yet elongated yellowish-grey emperor with dark spots scattered on the sides, a yellow upper lip, yellowish fins, and a red spot on the base of the pectoral-fin.
  
• This species feeds mainly on crustaceans, fishes and echinoderms, and larger specimens have been implicated in ciguatera poisoning in some parts of its range.

Fish Distribution:

• This species occurs around coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region from the Red Sea and East Africa and throughout the central Indian Ocean and northern Australia as far east as the Marquesas Islands, and north to the Ryukyu Islands.
  
• Adult yellowlip emperor inhabit offshore coral reefs, where they are particularly common over coral rubble and sandy areas in shallow waters, as well as deeper channels, reef lagoons and reef slopes to depths up to 150 meters.
  
• Juveniles can be found in similar places and also in inshore seagrass nursery areas.

Fish Size Common Length:

30-60 cm (12-24 inches), maximum size around 70 cm (28 inches) and 6 kg in weight.