Total Lipid Content of Selected Fish in Sarawak

The total lipid content of seven selected fish species in Sarawak were determined using the Folch et al, (I 957) extraction procedures with modification following Bligh and Dyer ( 1959). This study aims to provide useful information on the potential economic values of local bycatch fish species in the fish oil production sectors. Total lipid content was extracted from dorsal muscle of three species from freshwater habitat (Clarias teijsmanni, Channa striata and Barbodes lateristriga), two species from brackish water habitat (Osteogeneiosus militaris and Nibea so/dado) and two species from marine habitat (Lutjanus lineolatus and Hemiramphus brasiliensis). The results showed that muscle lipid content ranges from 1.47% ± 0.02 to 2.34% ± 0.07 with samples were divided into two significantly different groups. The group containing higher lipid content consist of B. lateristriga, N. soldado and H. brasiliensis whereas the group with lower lipid content consist of C. teijsmanni, C. stria/a, 0. militaris and L. lineolatus. Based on the data, the amount of lipid content of all the fish in this study were in line with other readily commercialised fish, albeit relatively on the lower group in the fish oil production. In addition, the fatty acid data from one species (B. lateristriga) showed result of high PUFA value (26.60% ± 0.26) in compared with Wild Pacific Salmon (13.50% ± 5.12) (Hamilton et al, 2005) and slightly lower than Wild Atlantic Salmon (27 .30% ± 3 .90) (Blanchet et al., 2005). Therefore, more study should be conducted to explore the lipid composition from other local fish species in Sarawak