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| Should other nations follow Alaska's lead in using aquaculture as part of a fishery enhancement programme? |
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Young's launches new basa product 15 March, 2007 -
The company says Basa is a high quality white fish similar in taste and texture to lemon sole and is already proving popular in continental Europe. The fish is sourced from accredited farms in the Mekong Delta – with the fish filleted by hand before being frozen within an hour of leaving the water. It is a major new species for the UK market and - being farmed - is an excellent sustainable alternative to wild caught fish. Called Young’s Lime & Ginger Fish Goujons, it is a frozen product, consisting of fingers of top quality basa fillet, coated in breadcrumbs infused with lime and ginger. Young's describe it as a 'classic oriental flavour combination' that goes perfectly with basa. Basa is also known as Vietnamese catfish or by its Latin name, Pangasius. There are two similar species, the Young’s product being made with Pangasius hypothalmus. Young’s said it intends to market all its Pangasius products as basa and is encouraging the rest of the seafood industry to do the same. Marketing director, James Turton, said: “Research established that ‘Basa’ was a clear favourite with consumers and we hope that other manufacturers and retailers will also use this name – if there is consensus it will help this important species to be more quickly understood and accepted by UK consumers.” He added: “Given the rapid acceptance of this fish in many European countries, we believe basa has excellent potential to quickly become a staple species in the UK market.” Young’s expect to launch a number of other retail basa products over the next few months and has also introduced several foodservice lines using the species. The Lime and Ginger Fish Goujons are available now from Sainsbury, with wider listings expected shortly. The price is £2.99 for a 235g pack. It is only a few weeks since Young's revived the fortunes of that one time breakfast favourite - the traditional Scottish kipper, so it will be interesting to see how it fares with what is a totally new species for most UK seafood consumers. Basa is already popular in the United States where it is fast finding its niche, much to the chagrin of the traditional American freshwater fish industry. Most Americans find that basa is a tasty white fish with a delicate texture and is highly digestible. After the US trade embargo with Vietnam was lifted in 1994, US seafood importers began travelling to South East Asia and began shipping the first containers of basa fillets to California. What started as relatively small shipments has grown into a major seafood market as basa finds favour with a discerning US palate.
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