Tilapia

Editor/ Mohemed Shihab

SOURCING SUMMARY

Tilapia are a hardy, aggressive freshwater fish originally native to Africa that reproduce quickly and eat a grain-based vegetarian diet. This fish grows fast and can reach a size for harvesting within eight to 10 months. Tilapia is a white fish with a bland flavor that makes it a good substitute for other white fish, including snapper, grouper, flounder, and rockfish. Tilapia is available year-round fresh and frozen, whole and in fillets, and frozen value-added fillets. According to some buyers, the quality of frozen tilapia fillets can vary so it is recommended to stay with a good brand to ensure consistency. Fillets are available in several graded sizes: 3-5 oz, 5-7 oz, and 7-9 oz, with 5-7 oz being the most common grade.

The nature of the fish makes it taste like the water where it was raised, so the best quality has the cleanest taste. Many frozen fillet producers in Taiwan and China treat the fish with carbon monoxide to give the bloodline a red color; these fillets are frequently marketed as sashimi-quality snapper even though they aren’t and do not have the same quality. To make sure their tilapia crop is male, some farmers use a hormone called methyltestosterone that, although deemed safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has caused some buyers to seek non-treated fish.

Key sustainability sourcing notes for tilapia spp. based on global production from 2016-17 and based on the most recent Seafood Watch assessments and ASC certifications as of October, 2019, are as follows:

~5% of global farm-raised tilapia production is certified to the standards of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)

ASC-certified tilapia by country comes from Indonesia ~75%, Brazil ~15%, and China ~10%

For the three primary countries with ASC-certified tilapia, the percentage of the ASC-certified tilapia is ~5% for Brazil and Indonesia, and <1% in China

<1% of global farm-raised tilapia meets a Seafood Watch "Best Choice (green)" rating**; ~90% from Ecuador and ~10% from Peru  

~25% of global farm-raised tilapia meets a Seafood Watch "Good Alternative (yellow)" rating; ~85% from Indonesia

~50% of global farm-raised tilapia is unrated; ~35% from Egypt, ~10% each from Philippines, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Brazil, and Thailand

The U.S.** produces ~0.2% of global tilapia production

Global tilapia production increased ~5% from 2016 to 2017 

**Tilapia raised in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) globally receives a Seafood Watch "Best Choice (green)" rating, but estimates of relative production by RAS are not available. Most tilapia produced in the United States is produced using RAS.

HEALTH/NUTRITION

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving Size: 113g

Serving Size: 113g