The Pangasius species of freshwater fish, known locally as Basa, is now being produced in Jamaica and is being trumpeted as the natural successor to the tried and tested Tilapia on the plates of Jamaicans.

ALGIX Jamaica, a company with investors from the United States and Jamaica, is now breeding, stocking and producing Basa on its farm at Barton Isle in St Elizabeth.

The first commercial crop of Basa is expected to be reaped in September of this year, and the expectation of aqua-culturalist and managing director of ALGIX, Maurice Reynolds, is that Basa is going to replace the Tilapia as the fish of choice for freshwater cultivators and consumers.

“The Basa is a special fish. It is a native of Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, Cambodia and neighbouring nations,” Reynolds told the Jamaica Observer last Thursday.

“Our team from ALGIX visited Vietnam to learn how to best produce the Basa using local conditions in a controlled environment. We are certain that we have created the right conditions for this fish to grow and prosper, and I am like a mother waiting for a child to be born right now,” he said.

“We strongly believe that with the expertise we have been able to acquire, the Basa will become the dominant force in freshwater cultivation in Jamaica,” the ALGIX managing director said.

While the production of Basa is new to Jamaica, the importation is not, as at least two of the country’s major importers of fish stock carry Basa, especially the boneless, skinless fillets, or portions in different sizes and shapes cut from fillets.

But what makes Basa special? Why is this fish better than Tilapia? Why should Jamaican fish farmers produce Basa, and what should consumers expect?

The experts are purporting that the female Basa has the ability to produce much more eggs than any other fish ever farmed commercially in Jamaica. Another claim is that at full maturity the Basa weighs an average of 88-90 lbs, making it much easier for the cutting of fillets.

Ricardo Reynolds, chief technology officer at ALGIX, who is also the lead researcher of the Pangasius species, explains.

“I want to start by explaining the operations we have here at Barton Isle. We have just over 300 acres at our disposal, of which 110 acres are in water, with approximately 98 ponds ranging in sizes from one acre to two acres.

“As to the Pangasius or Basa fish, one sexually mature female weighing three kilogrammes (approximately 6.6 lbs) can produce 150,000 eggs per kilogramme — that is 450,000 eggs from a three-kilogramme fish. So a 10-kilogramme Basa produces well over a million eggs.

“Although we stand by international standards, at ALGIX Jamaica we are already achieving a survival ratio for eggs spawned of 60 to 70 per cent. The standard international norm is 50 to 55 per cent.

“So we have more eggs from the female brood stock than any other fish ever farmed in Jamaica. This is the main reason why the Basa industry is nearly a US$2-billion industry in Asia. The best a female Tilapia can produce is 500 eggs at any one time. Right now, the Basa is the sixth most eaten fish in the world and the 10th in the United States, according to independent publications,” he explained.

“The Basa grows three times faster than the Tilapia, which, in essence, means more weight for the farmers and more fish for the consumers. The Basa is very economical and very viable fish,” Ricardo Reynolds added.

ALGIX Jamaica’s operations at Barton Isle are blessed by the waters of Jamaica’s longest navigable waterway — the Black River.

“A tributary of the Black River flows directly to the fish ponds,” Maurice Reynolds explained. “We have applied some modifications to its route by diverting the more than adequate supply of water to, especially, ponds in use.

“This constant flow of water allows for numerous benefits, including constant aeration of the ponds, which means an increase of oxygen for the fish stock and the constant flows also allow for cleaner ponds, which promote better growth.”

At present, ALGIX employs just over 100 workers to man its operations. More employment is, however, on the horizon.

“We are currently in the process of interviewing over 200 people for work in the plant we are now constructing,” the managing director said. “Note, the first crop of our Basa fish is scheduled to be harvested in September. We therefore have to be ready to process this harvest for our various clients whose needs differ. So, we have to debone, we have to remove skin, we have to cut fillets and we have to package whole fish.”

In the years to come, fish farming in Jamaica may well be defined by this new species. Many will, however, stick with the tried and proven Tilapia.

The Sunday Observer did a web check of the differences between the Pangasius and the Tilapia. The results are printed below.

The Origins

BASA

It first originated from Upper Laos and is a native to the Mekong River, which includes the regions of China, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

TILAPIA

It is native to Africa, and is, today, one of the most widely bred fish globally. The Nile and Mozambique species are the most commonly bred ones.

The Identification

BASA

They belong to the cat-fish family, have fins which are dark gray or black, and are silver in colour and have no scales. The young ones have a black stripe. Fully grown adult Pangasius are uniformly gray and do not have either the stripes or the iridescent skin. The adults can grow up to four feet in length and can weigh a maximum of 97 lbs. The Pangasius can live for 20 years or more.

TILAPIA

They have a thick body and a light-coloured belly. They can grow on an average of two per cent of their body weight. They are likely to gain one pound for every 1.5 pounds of food they consume. They can grow to an average of 18 inches in length, and weigh up to one pound. The Nile or Black Tilapia, Blue Tilapia, and Mozambique or Red Tilapia are most commonly bred. Although the names imply different colours, the colour of the edible portions remain the same.

The Diet

BASA

They are omnivores and eat all kinds of live, fresh, flake foods. They eat brine shrimp, blood worms, live crickets and worms. However, as they grow older, they lose their teeth and tend to become more herbivores.

TILAPIA

They have eating habits of herbivores. They eat algae, which they filter through the tiny combs in their gills. On fish farms they are generally fed other vegetable matter and grain. They also serve as a biological control to aquatic plant menace.

Mating And Spawning

BASA

They require two to three years to reach sexual maturity. After breeding within a day, the eggs grow into larva. A single female can produce more than 50,000 eggs per spawn and can spawn up to four times during the breeding season.

TILAPIA

They grow fast and reach sexual maturity within six months.

Taste

BASA

The best quality fillets of this fish have white flesh. However, average quality is either light pink or beige in colour. The flesh turns white after cooking and has a moist, sweet taste, a mild flavour and a delicate texture.

TILAPIA

It is also known as the ‘aquatic chicken’ because it breeds easily and does not have a fishy taste; instead a bland taste. It has no taste of its own, but it adopts the taste of whatever ingredients are added.