Fish Fillet Butchering Yields

By
Bailey Berg
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Finfish Butchering Yield % to Fillets and Loins

The art of the Fishmonger is becoming more rare in the US as this skill set is left to the seafood processors, and chefs loose touch with how to break-down fish. Most of today’s chefs do not know what the fish fillet butchering yield is for the vary fish that they are serving! And although it is a very sad thing, it is completely understandable as utilization of the whole fish is not possible in many operations, and it is much easier to rotate product when you can purchase 5 – 10 lb at a time rather than a whole tuna.

However, if you do breakdown your own fish, or want to give it a try, then these are suggested yield percentage standards for your fishmonger or cooks to try to achieve. Your actual yields will vary depending upon a number of variables including the size of the fish (larger fish generally have a better yield), season, sex of the fish, and the skill of your fishmonger. Also, be sure to check-out the “how to fillet fish” page of video tutorials to see the technique used for different fish.

Notes:

  • Dressed is gutted, scaled, tail and fins removed (could be H/On or H/Off)
  • H&G = Head-Off and gutted
  • H/On & G = Head-On and gutted
  • Japanese Fillet includes collar and ribs
  • PBI = Pin Bones In
  • Round = whole fish ungutted
  • Skn/On = skin-on
  • Skn/Off = skin-off
  • Skn/On B/L In = skin-on, bloodline in (used for Loins)
  • Skn/On B/L Out = skin-on, excess waste is trimmed including about 95% of the bloodline
  • Skn/On C/C = Skin-on center cut

Yield percentages listed do vary on average by about +/- 3. Multiple sources were researched and the “best” info was selected.

If you have access to professional Fishmonger yields then please leave comments at the bottom of the page
to update info, especially for items which have “??” entered in the cell.

Fresh Seafood Butchering Yield Percentages – Loins
Fish Cut To Skn/On B/L In To Skn/On B/L Out To Skn/Off B/L Out To Skn/On C/C To Skn/Off C/C
Marlin
Kajiki – Blue Marlin

source

 Round 65% ?? ?? To Dressed H/On = 80%
H&G 70% 67% 60% 60% 53%
Loin Skn/On B/L In — 92% 85% 85% 75%
Nairagi – Striped Marlin Round 65% ?? ?? To Dressed H/On = 75%
Ono (Wahoo) Round To Dressed H/On = 75%
H&G 20-up 78% 73% 65% ?? ??
H&G 20-down 74% 69% 60% ?? ??
Loin Skn/On B/L In — 95% 85% ?? ??
Shark Black Thresher Bullet — 63% 57% ?? 50%
Shark Black Tip H&G — ?? 74% ?? 68%
Sturgeon Bullet 95% 72% 65% ?? ??
Swordfish H&G 78% 72% 64% 64% 56%
Loin Skn/On B/L In — 90% 85% 85% 75%
Tuna
Tuna Albacore (Tombo) H&G 70% 64% 53% ?? ??
Loin Skn/On B/L In — 90% 85% ?? ??
Tuna Bigeye H&G 70% — 55% 52% 35%
Loin Skn/On B/L In — — 79% 75% ??
Tuna Bluefin H&G 70% — 55% 50% 35%
Loin Skn/On B/L In — — 83% 72% ??
Tuna Yellowfin H&G 69% 65% 55% 55% 50%
Loin Skn/On B/L In — 90% 85% 85% 75%
Fresh Fish Yield Percentages – Fillets
Species Item To Skn/on Fillets To Skn/off Fillets Notes
Amberjack H/On & G 63% 54%
H&G 74% 62%
Skin/On Fillets — 84%
Arctic Char Round 55% 50%
H/On & G 69% 63%
Skin/On Fillets — 91%
Barracuda H/On & G 61% ??
Barramundi Round ?? 38%
H/On & G 45% – 50% ??
Basa H&G — 40%
Black Cod H&G 59% 48%
Catfish H/On & G, 4-up 63% 50% To Skirt/Off, Skin/Off = 42% source
H/On & G, 2-down 60% 40% Skirt is too thin to utilize
Skin/On Fillets — 87% To Skirt/Off = 67%
Cod – Atlantic H/On & G 50% PBI 43% PBO During spawning: 30-38% PBO
Cod – Pacific Round 55% 48% PBI To Skin/Off PBO = 41% source
H&G 71% 62% PBI To Skin/Off PBO = 52%
Skin/On Fillets — 87% To Skin/Off PBO = 73%
Skin/On V-cut Fillets — 87% PBI Round to V-cut Fillet = 39%

To Skin/Off PBO = 73%
Corvina Round 86% 43% Corvina is a name used for many different fish of the Croaker & Drum family. Yields here are very general.
H&G 50% 42%
Skin/On Fillets — 84%
Dory Round 35% 25%
Drum Fish
Black Drum Round 46% 40%
H/On & G ?? 33%
Skin/On Fillets — 87%
Red Drum Round, 1.5 lb 34% 28% source pg 15
Round, 2 lb 46% 40% source
H/On & G ?? 33%
Skin/On Fillets — 87%
Escolar H&G 75% 70%
Grouper
Grouper 3-down H/On & G ?? 40% source
Black Grouper Round ?? 43% source: Modern Garde Manger
Red Grouper Round ?? 42%
Haddock H/On & G – large fish 47% 42% source
H/On & G – small fish 43% 40%
Skn/On Flt — 89%
Hake, Pacific Round 43% 32% PBI Round to Dressed H/On = 80%

Round to H&G = 60% source alaska.gov
27% PBO
H/On & G 51% 38% PBI
Skn/On Flt — 75% PBI
Skn/On Flt — 63% PBO
Halibut Round 56% 46% Round to H&G = 70 – 83%
10/20 H&G 65% 55%
20/40, 40/60 H&G 68% 58% source alaska.gov
Skn/On Flt — 80%
Hapu Round Round to Dressed Head/On = 66% source
40% ?? source
Hebi – Spearfish Round, 20/40 Round to Dressed Head/On = 70% – 80%
H/On & G, 20/40 45% – 55% ?? source
Hiramasa H/On & G 63% 54% Western Fillet
H&G 74% 62% Western Fillet
H/On & G 74% ?? Japanese Fillet
H&G 87% ?? Japanese Fillet
Lingcod Round To Dressed Head/On = 90%; To H&G = 62% – 74%
Round ?? 27% – 32% PBI Fillets
H/On & G ?? 39% source alaska.gov
H&G ?? 48%
Mahi Mahi Round ?? 40% – 50% To Dressed Head/On = 75%
H&G 68% 59% Males have larger heads and lower yields
Skn/On Flt — 85%
Monchong H/On & G, 20 lb 60% 44% source: Chef’s Resources kitchen
Skn/On Flt — 79%
Onaga Round ?? 46% – 48% source
H/On & G 38% 33% source: Chef’s Resources kitchen
Opah Round ?? 35% source
Opakapaka Round 45% ?? source
H/On & G, 10-up 44% ??
H/On & G, 10-down 38% ??
Pollock, Alaska (Walleye Pollock) Round 40% 34% Round to Dressed H/On = 79%

Round to H&G = 62%
Skn/On Flt — 85%
Red Snapper Round 52% 48%
H/On & G 40% – 44% 36% – 40%
Skn/On Flt — 92%
Rockfish I

Black, Greenstripe, Thornyhead

 Round 32% 27% Round to Dressed H/On = 88%
H/On & G 56% 48% source: alaska.gov
H&G 86% 70%
Skn/On Flt — 85%
Rockfish II

Canary, China, Dusky, Quillback, Redbanded, Redstriped, Rosethorn, Rougheye, Shortraker, Silvergray, Tiger, Widow, Yelloweye, Yellowtail

 Round 28% 23% Round to Dressed H/On = 88%
H/On & G 49% 40% source: alaska.gov
H&G 86% 70%
Skn/On Flt — 82%
Sablefish Round 40% 35% Round to H&G = 64% source: alaska.gov
H/On & G 45% 36%
H&G 59% 48%
Skn/On Flt — 80%
Salmon – Farmed
Atlantic Salmon 2/4, 4/6 H/On & G 68% 62% source: Pacific Seafood
6/10, 10/14 H/On & G 70% 64%
14/18 H/On & G 71% 65%
18/Up H/On & G 72% 66%
Skn/On Flt
Chinook Salmon (farmed) 2/4, 4/6 H/On & G 68% 62%
6/8 H/On & G 69% 63%
8/10 H/On & G 70% 64%
10/Up H/On & G 71% 65%
Skn/On Flt
Salmon – Wild
Chum Salmon Round 60% 50% source: Pacific Seafood
H/On & G 67% 56%
H&G 81% 67%
Skn/On Flt
Coho Salmon Round 57% 51%
H/On & G 62% 55%
H&G 76% 68%
Skn/On Flt
Chinook (King) Salmon Round 55% 46%
H/On & G 63% 52%
H&G U/10 69% 62%
H&G 10/Up 72% 64%
H&G 18/Up 76% 67%
Copper River 10/Up 73% 66%
Skn/On Flt
Pink Salmon Round 52% 42%
H/On & G 57% 46%
H&G 74% 58%
Skn/On Flt
Sockeye Salmon Round 53% 46%
H/On & G 57% 50%
H&G 72% 62%
Skn/On Flt
Sardines Round 53% 49% Round to H/On & G = 84%
H/On & G 64% 59%
Sea Bass
Black Sea Bass Round 37% 33%
H/On & G 45% 37%
Skin/On Fillets — 89%
Chilean Sea Bass Round To H&G = 68%
H&G ?? 65% – 75%
White Sea Bass Round ?? 33%
H&G 46% 40%
Skin/On Fillets — 87%
Skate H/On & G 26% ?? Round to H/On & G = 90%

Round to H&G = 39%
H&G 59% ??
Wings ?? 35%
Sole
Dover Sole (Pacific Dover) Round — 29% Round to H/On & G = 86%

Round to H&G = 65%
English Sole Round — 27% Round to H/On & G = 85%

Round to H&G = 65%
Petrale Sole Round — 29% Round to H/On & G = 86%

Round to H&G = 66%
Rex Sole Round — 33% Round to H/On & G = 85%

Round to H&G = 65%
Rock Sole Round — 28% Round to H/On & G = 87%

Round to H&G = 67%
source: alaska.gov
Steelhead Wild H/On & G 69% 62%
Wild H&G 66% 60%
Farmed H/On & G 70% 63%
Striped Bass 2 lb Round 40% 34%
Skn/On Flt — 86% source
Sturgeon Round 56% 45% Round to H/On & G = 85%

Round to H&G = 75%

source: alaska.gov
H/On & G 66% 53%
Bullet 95% 80%
Skn/On Flt — 80%
Swai H/On & G — 40%
Tilapia Round — 30% – 35%
Trout
Trout – Wild Round 61% 55% Round to H/On & G = 88%

Round to H&G = 69%

source: alaska.gov
H/On & G 78% 69%
H&G 88% 79%
Skn/On Flt — 90%
Trout – Farmed H/On & G 69% 63% H/On & G to H&G = 78%
Skn/On Flt — 91%
Uku – Grey Jobfish Round 45% ?? source

Other Helpful Yield Info

Comments from before Site Migration

I am trying to get a yield for H&G Barents Sea Cod from Russia or Norway. There is an established market for this product From $3300 to $3400 per M/T. Most of it is going to China. Trying to establish a comparison between buying containers of frozen at sea boneless skinless fillets 8/16 and 16×32 oz and 1 to 2 kilo H&G and filleting locally.

I am in need of a yield on Skin on sea bass, I’m getting very low yields from what the monger is sending me, typically 30-35% based on belly size.

Thanks Thatcher, and you raise a good point. This info is based upon the standard butchering practices in the United States. Other countries may find the info incorrect as their butchering procedures/expectations may be different.

Great Work and a general good guide line. However yield is cultural. In some countries the entire fish is used. Even in the fine dinning restaurants. There are benefits of this of course. (Driving down food cost). Along with creating some wonderful dishes that are unusual but very creative.

Otherwise with your measurements you are on.

Sincerly, Thatcher

Chuck – thanks for the info! Are you in the industry? If you have additional info contact me at chefs-resources @ msn dot com

The yields for some species look a little high as reported here. Head on, gutted Atlantic cod yield 42%-44% for skinless pin bone out (PBO) fillets on average, during non spawning season. Yields during spawning are closer to 38%, but can fall as low as 30%. The cod yields above may be for pin bone in (PBI) fillets, which are not common in the marketplace anymore.

Thanks Ron! Always appreciate getting fish yields. It is so hard to find yields for fish.

Tilapia fillet yields= boneless (PBO) fillets: 30-37%, depending on fillet size and final trim

Great job, this grid is amazing…everything all in one place.

what does % recovery rate actually refers to??

I appreciate this information. As an amateur fish butcher writing a blog for home cooks, I like to have a goal in mind for a new fish. I try to beat your yield every time and it is usually pretty close. Great site. Also great to see some oddball fish on here. Not too many people talking about Monchong on the mainland.

I need the data about butchering yield in my research paper, which topic is about animal foods production and nutrition.

Thanks so much! This really helps. And, does anyone know yield for atlantic bluefish? I’m setting up to smoke a batch.

Just bought a 2.3 lb blue which yielded 1.3 oz (1lb, 3 oz.) of fillet with skin on. Not a professional; just a fish lover!

Thanks for the great info, so many ways to look forward to positive results in my inventory in my restaurant.

Hi,

Anyone have information for mahseer fish yield?

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Ezoic

EzoicRelated Pages Index

  • Fresh Fish Availability Chart
  • Guidelines for Purchasing Quality Seafood
  • How to Store Fresh Fish
  • Fish Fillet Butchering Yields
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    • Amberjack Fish
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    • Monkfish Culinary Flavor Profile
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    • Sole Varieties & Species
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