Sea bass, often marketed by US chefs under the Italian name branzino, is a prized fish in Europe, where it is largely a recreational catch. The sea bass is found in the Atlantic along the European coasts, in the Mediterranean and as far south as Senegal. Demand today is met almost exclusively by aquacultured product. The bass’s ability to thrive in seawater, brackish water and even fresh water makes it a good candidate for farming.
Primary product forms: Whole Round (most common); Whole Gutted; Fillets
This high-valued species is the favored sea bream, prized in Mediterranean cuisine and highly regarded by European chefs. The fish reach maturity during their second year, up to which time they are male. In the third year, for reasons not fully understood, they become female. Sea bream are found in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, but commercial harvests are small.
Primary product forms: Whole Round (most common); Whole Gutted; Fillets
Meagre is a fish of the Sciaenidae family. It has a similar form to a European sea bass, with a pearly-silver coloration and a yellow-coloured mouth. It is a carnivore found in pelagic coastal areas. Distribution includes the Atlantic Ocean (from France to Senegal) and the Mediterranean Sea, with some records of its presence in the northern Red Sea.
Primary product forms: Whole Round (most common); Whole Gutted; Fillets
The specie is often called black cod, because of its black, almost furry skin, though it is not in the cod family. It is also called butterfish in reference to its melt-in-your-mouth, oil-rich meat. Black cod is caught in deep water along the Pacific Coast from Alaska to southern California by trawls, longlines and traps. It is most abundant off northern British Columbia and in the Gulf of Alaska. As a general rule, the larger the fish, the better the quality.
Primary product forms: Whole Round (most common); Whole Gutted; Fillets