Sea robins are fish with a large head, a tapering body, and fanlike pectoral fins. These features may suggest that it is a sculpin but it is not. It is also popularly known as Gurnard. They are known to be fairly slim and dwell in the bottom of the water. They belong to the family of Trigildae. Sea Robins have a profound bony head as well as a pair of dorsal fins. The pectoral fins of this fish is shaped like a fan. Some of these fish have also got pectoral fins, which are ornately patterned. Audible sound can be produced by these fishes as they are vocal and produce sounds with the help of their swim bladders as well as muscles. It actually sounds like the fish is singing!
There has been a lot of doubts regarding this fish and especially about the fact that whether we could eat it safely or not. If you too are someone who has this doubt, here is the list of a few of the things that you should know about it. We will explain why you can eat a sea robin!
Are Sea Robins Edible?
Yes, a sea robin is edible and can be eaten without any issue. The European relatives of these fish are very popular as well as a prized dish in the overseas markets. Sea robins have got a very subtle flavored. They are pretty much similar to fluke as well as flounder and whiting. The only difference between them is that sea robins have a more firmer texture. There are some special dishes which are more suited for this fish than the others. This fish is best suited for soups as well as stews, just like the bouillabaisse. It gets a better taste in soups and stews as compared to a baked or broiled sea robin. The fish has got a very low ratio of meat to size. These fishes are especially hard to clean due to the bony fins that they have got. They also look uglier because of the big and unique eyes they have and that is probably one of the reasons people don’t prefer eating them. The extra effort required to harvest the fillets often persuade fishermen to just throw the fish back into the water.
Where do Sea Robins Live?
Sea robins are mainly found in the tropical seas but have been found all around the globe. These fish are most commonly found in the Atlantic ocean. They can be found from Nova Scotia to Florida. Generally, these fishes inhabit the shallow waters of the coastal regions but there have been multiple occasions when these fishes are roaming freely in the open seas as well as diving below a depth of way more than two hundred feet. These fish prefer to stay in the open areas of the ocean floors. They generally hides where the bottom of the ocean is covered with either sand or multiple small rocks. The breeding of sea robins occur during the months of the summer. The mature adults of the breed typically choose to stay in the waters where the temperature remains up to 71 degrees. Sometimes, they even prefer a temperature higher than that, though most of July, August as well as September. The warmer waters allow their eggs to hatch.
How to Catch a Sea Robin?
Sea robin is a bottom-dwelling fish. These fishes can be found at a depth of up to 600 feet but they can also be found in much shallower water. These fishes can be caught in a comparatively easy way as compared to other fishes. They can be caught by dropping a lure or a bait to the seafloor. The seafloor is the place where these fishes feed. One of the most efficient baits which can be used to catch these fishes is Mackerel. In addition to this, bunkers, crabs, and meats from other fishes can. Also, be used to catch these fishes. They are relatively easy to hook and put up a fun fight.
The type of bait that should be used depends completely on the location where you are fishing. You can also use lure fishing to catch these fish. This can be done easily if the sea robins are lured near the substrate. These fishes are mostly considered as a rough fish or trash fish. They are mostly caught while fishing for other more valuable fish, such as flounder, fluke, porgies or striped bass. The lobster fisherman uses gurnard too, as a bait for catching these fishes.
How to Wash and Prepare Sea Robins?
The very first thing that we would like to tell you is that the preparation of this fish isn’t like that of normal food. You will have to descale the fish in order to get to the fillets. You can use a specialty fish descaler or a sharp kitchen knife. Both of them will do the same job successfully. After the descaling the sea robin, you need to place a knife below the head. You need to cut in and then slide the knife down the body of the fish. This is done to remove the filets from the fish in one clean motion. The most essential thing here is to use a sharp knife. The sea robin is not ideal for raw preparations, as it has a thick skin. However, it could work with a nice sear, but you will have to discard the skin for this type of preparation. If the chef who is going to prepare it is too ambitious, then keep the roe sac to eat on buttered toast, and the skeleton could be kept for making stock. Lots of ways to fully maximize the body of a sea robin!
You can cut the fresh sea robin fillets in cubes, to make a fresh ceviche. The cubes should be cut into small sizes so that they can fit one by one on a spoon. Now, you will need to toss and turn the fish in a bowl and add your preferred flavor to it. One of the most essential ingredients for making this ceviche is the citrus juice. You can use lime juice, red onion, blood oranges, a lovely orange-infused olive oil, mint, cilantro, and Maldon salt. Toss the ingredients together and let the ceviche sit in the fridge for a few hours. It will give the fish time to absorb the lime juice flavors. Feel free to enjoy your entree with corn chips or you can just have it solo.
Conclusion
We are confident that with all the tips discussed here, it is clear that sea robins are not a junk fish in the ocean. They can be eaten, if prepared and cooked properly. The biggest obstacle is the lack of knowledge as many fishermen don’t know too much about the fish and its properties for eating.
