The New White Fish That Could Change the Future of Seafood

The Pompano is a new white-flesh fish variety being developed for Australian menus. Courtesy of CSIRO

Australia’s national science agency has identified the Pompano as an ideal white-flesh fish for farming in northern Australia’s tropical climate.

A Pompano industry could cut seafood imports by 100,000 tonnes, according to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

Polly Hilder, the lead scientist of the trials, explained that the goal is to provide a nutritious protein source while ensuring sustainability and animal welfare.

“The Pompano is a robust, sociable fish endemic to northern Australia that grows really quickly and tastes great, making it an ideal candidate for adapting to our aquaculture environments,” Hilder said.

Aquaculture is the farming of fish, shellfish, and other aquatic species in controlled environments to meet the growing demand for food.

“We’re bringing a new species to Australian plates to give consumers more options, while opening up new export opportunities to strengthen Australia’s white-flesh fish industry,” she said.

“We’re now working to scale production processes in commercial trials with industry.”

Praised by Chefs

Market studies by seafood consultancy Fishtales, show positive feedback from chefs.

The culinary qualities of Pompano were praised by Andy Allen, MasterChef Australia judge and co-owner and chef at Three Blue Ducks.

“I’ve had some time to work with this fish in my kitchen at home and it tastes great as a mildly sweet, high-quality white meat that is firm but finely flaked,” Allen said.

“I’ve been able to use the whole fish in a variety of ways—from simply cooking the fillets in olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon, to getting a bit wilder by crisping up the wings and using the head in a couple of different ways too.

“It’s awesome to think we can breed this fish here in Australia sustainably and supply it to consumers in the future.”

The Pompano. Courtesy of CSIRO

“We’re applying innovative circular economy approaches designed around welfare that make use of resources end-to-end—from capturing value from production processes, through to utilising the whole fish at the consumer end,” Hilder said.

“For example, fish waste is high in phosphorous and nitrogen nutrients and can be turned into valuable byproducts such as fertiliser capsules.”

Australia’s Aquaculture Industry

Australians eat about 350,000 tonnes of seafood annually, with an estimated 62 percent coming from overseas imports, mostly from Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, and China) and New Zealand, as they provide low-cost options for Australian consumers.

Although the industry is growing, demand continues to rise.

CSIRO estimates that Pompano’s introduction could cut seafood imports by 100,000 tonnes and diversify seafood options for consumers.

This could add over $1 billion ($US651 million) to the economy, paving the way for further growth.