Years ago, opah was thought to bring good luck, and Hawaiian fishermen gave the fish away as a goodwill gesture. But there was also a time when seafood suppliers could find no takers for the moonfish, likely named for its round profile. Opah’s popularity finally blossomed in the late ’80s when the state of Hawaii started promoting its underutilized species, and U.S. consumers acquired a taste for more boldly flavored fish. Opah isn’t consistently available, since the species doesn’t school and isn’t easily harvested in quantity. While known primarily as a Hawaiian species in the domestic market, opah is found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters. It is often taken as bycatch by longliners targeting tuna from New Zealand to California and also is harvested off the California coast. Opah is imported into the U.S. market predominately from Fiji, Tahiti and New Zealand when domestic supplies are low. In earlier scientific references, opah was classified as Lampris regius.