Wreckfish, Polyprion americanus (Bloch and Schneider, 1801), a promising species for aquaculture: Proximate composition, fatty acid profile and cholesterol content of wild Mediterranean specimens

• Nutrient composition of wreckfish meat collected in the Mediterranean was studied.
• High quality traits for n–3 PUFA proportions.
• Differences in proximate composition, cholesterol and fatty acids in relation to size.
• Findings are useful to optimize feeding protocols of wreckfish farming practices.

The proximate composition and fatty acid profile of 62 wreckfish (Polyprion americanus) specimens caught in the northern marine area of the island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea were determined. Over a 2-year period, fish were captured in 14 surveys and grouped according to body size, sex, and harvest. Two distinct sizes were collected at different water depths: the largest wreckfish (>16.5 kg, >65 cm) of both sexes were collected from deep waters (500–560 m); small individuals, with significantly lower body length and weight (4.5–11 kg) were found in shallower waters. The smallest groups had the lowest moisture content (73.19–73.81%), the greatest amount of protein (20.42–20.60%) and the highest lipid level (4.04–4.36%) compared to other groups. The three groups of the smaller sized wreckfish had the high proportion of 18:1 (27–27.9%). DHA was dominant in 11 of the wreckfish survey groups, representing 24.2–25.7% of total fatty acids. Findings could potentially be applied to optimize feeding husbandry protocols of fish farming practices in aquaculture. Data obtained here could be used to elucidate the nutritional traits that characterize meat quality of wreckfish, which are becoming increasingly important considerations of consumers and human health specialists.