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Basa fish

Basa fish, Pangasius bocourti

Basa fish in Vinh Long market, Vietnam

Conservation status


Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]

Scientific classification

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Chordata

Class:Actinopterygii

Order:Siluriformes

Family:Pangasiidae

Genus:Pangasius

Species:P. bocourti
Binomial name

Pangasius bocourti
Sauvage, 1880





Basa Fish

The basa fish (Pangasius bocourti) is a species of catfish in the family Pangasiidae. Basa are native to the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins in Indochina.[2] These fish are important food fish with an international market. They are often labeled in North America and Australia as "basa fish", "swai",[3] or "bocourti".[4] In the UK all species of Pangasius may legally be described as "river cobbler", "cobbler", "basa", "pangasius", "panga", or any of these with the addition of "catfish".[5] In the rest of Europe, these fish are commonly marketed as "pangasius" or "panga".[6] Other related shark catfish may occasionally be incorrectly labeled as basa fish, including P. hypophthalmus (iridescent shark) and P. pangasius (yellowtail catfish).

Body
The body of a basa fish is stout and heavy. The rounded head is broader than it is long, with the blunt snout having a white band on its muzzle. This species grows to a standard length of 120 centimetres (47 in).


Food and spawning
Basa fish feed on plants. They spawn at the onset of flood season and the young are first seen in June, averaging about 5 cm by mid-June.


Market

Basa fish is typically sold in cooking-ready frozen fillets







Environmental and health concerns
Several environmental organizations concerned with marine ecosystems have raised concerns about basa. OceanWise, an environmental organization associated with theVancouver Aquarium, has flagged farmed basa for its potential pollution of ecosystems and interference with wild species.[17] It writes, "Open cage farming in Southeast Asia is associated with disease transfer to wild basa. There are also concerns about feed quality, farm operating standards and the biological impact of using wild stock for culturing."[17]The Monterey Bay Aquarium, while having concerns, does not red-flag basa. Both groups cite USA farmed catfish as a more sustainable alternative.
Tests by Asda and Tesco in the UK have found no trace of toxic contaminants.[18] Test from AQIS found trace levels of malachite green, but no other contaminants.[19][20][21]
One case has been reported of a person without a general fish allergy having an anaphylactic reaction to pangasius


"Catfish war" in the U.S.
In 2002, the United States accused Vietnam of dumping catfish, namely P. bocourti and P. hypophthalmus, on the American market, arguing that the Vietnamese importers, who are subsidized by Vietnam's government, constituted unfair competition.[7][8] With pressures from the U.S. catfish industry, the United States Congress passed a law in 2003 preventing the imported fish from being labelled as catfish, as well as imposing additional tariffs on the imported fish.[9] Under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ruling, only species from the family Ictaluridae can be sold as true catfish.[3] As a result, the Vietnamese exporters of this fish now label their products sold in the U.S. as basa fish or bocourti.[10][11]
At the height of the "catfish war", U.S. catfish farmers and others were describing the imported catfish as an inferior product. However,Mississippi State University researchers found imported basa were preferred three-to-one to US catfish in a small (58 testers) blind taste test.


United Kingdom
Basa has become common in the UK as "Vietnamese river cobbler", "river cobbler", or "basa". It is mainly sold by large supermarkets, in both fresh and frozen forms, as a more reasonably priced alternative to popular white fish such as cod or haddock. Young's uses it in some of its frozen fish products, under the name basa.[13] The import of basa is subject to the same stringent EU regulations as other food imports, as set out in the CBI pangasius product fact sheet [14] UK Trading Standards officers said that cobbler was being fraudulently sold as cod by some fish-and-chip retailers to take advantage of the much lower price of cobbler, which was about half that of cod. This practice was highlighted by the successful prosecution of two retailers, using DNA evidence, in 2009 and 2010.[15][16] Sometimes pangasius is described, legally, simply as "fish", as in "fish and chips".


Basa fish is a type of catfish native to Vietnam and Thailand and sometimes referred to as the river cobbler, swai, pangasius or bocourti. As with other types of catfish, basa are rich in protein but not as lean as tilapia and some other low-fat fish. Basa can still be a healthy addition to your diet, but you should note that different methods of cooking will alter the nutritional characteristics. Farmed basa is low in contaminants like mercury and raised in an environmentally friendly manner.
Calories
Basa fish fillets are low in calories, as a 100-gram fillet contains 90 calories. This amount comprises just 4.5 percent of the daily suggested calorie intake of 2,000. If you're dieting, basa fillets can be a good choice, as it would take less than 10 minutes of jogging or less than 11 minutes of swimming to burn the calories in a 100-gram basa fillet.
Fat
Basa fillets are moderately high in fat, considering the low calorie content. Each 100-gram fillet contains 4 grams of fat, so fat comprises 40 percent of the calories in the fillet. Only 1 gram of the fat comes from saturated fat, a type of fat that can increase your cholesterol levels. Dietary fat is high in calories but it is vital for optimal health, as it helps your body absorb vitamins and aids in proper growth and development.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Approximately 2.6 to 6.7 percent of the fat content of a serving of basa consists of omega-3 fatty acids. A high intake of these fatty acids -- particularly DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, and EPA, or eicosapentaenoic acid -- are linked to a decreased risk of heart disease. To get enough, the American Heart Association recommends that you should have at least two 3.5-oz. servings of fish like basa each week.
Protein
Basa fillets are rich in protein, as a 100-gram fillet contains 14 grams. This amount is more than twice the protein in an egg, but a basa fillet contains 50 fewer calories than two eggs would provide. Your body needs protein to maintain the integrity of your existing cells and tissues and build new tissues.
Carbohydrates
Basa fillets contain no carbohydrates, so you can eat this fish on a low-carbohydrate diet. While low-carbohydrate diets can help you lose weight, you don't need to restrict carbohydrates to diet successfully.
Cholesterol
Basa fillets are relatively high in cholesterol, as a 100-gram fillet contains 50 mg of cholesterol. This amount comprises 25 percent of the daily suggested limit of 200 mg. Too much cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease.
Sodium
Basa fillets are relatively low in sodium, with 50 mg per fillet. The daily recommended intake of sodium is 2,300 mg, so a 100-gram basa fillet contains just 2 percent of this amount.