CHILEAN SEA BASS
The Chilean Sea bass is known as a premium quality fish with white flesh and a mild flavor. The texture is firm and succulent, and it can be used in a variety of dishes due to its high meat quality
The Chilean sea bass (Dissostichus eleginoides) also known as Patagonian toothfish, is beautifully white and offers a pleasant, mild umami flavor with hints of butter, nuts and sweetness. The Chilean sea bass is perceived a premium quality fish due to the high meat quality - firm and succulent texture flesh, that falls into large tender flakes.
Chilean sea bass products
The Chilean sea bass is a large fish weigh 8-12 kg, when caught. The fish is cut into various sizes of thick meaty fillet portions without skin or is sold as a large headed and gutted fish (head/tail off, gut out and with skin).
The Chilean sea bass are perfectly hand filleted to fillet portions without skin
Chilean sea bass in the sea
The Chilean sea bass lives in the southernmost areas of South Americas (southern Chile and Argentina) and the Sub Antarctica islands coast. It prefers to live in cold waters (-2 – 4 °C) between depths of 45 and 4,000 m, but it mainly lives near the bottom of the sea.
The Chilean sea bass is also known as “the butterfish” in Mauritius
The fish grow slowly in the cold water, at 6–7 years of age they mature, and begin a gradual migration into deeper water.
The Chilean sea bass is a large fish growing up to 2 meters in length and weigh up to 50+ kg. They are found living for up to 50 years, but normal max age is 35 years. The dark (black) fish, is also recognized by the sharp teeth it uses to hunts its prey.
As juveniles they are primarily piscivorous, consuming the most abundant suitably sized local prey. With increasing size and habitat depth, the diet diversifies and includes more scavenging of squid, fish, and crustaceans.
The Chilean sea bass lives in the southernmost areas of South Americas (southern Chile and Argentina’s) and the Sub Antarctica islands coast
The Chilean fishery is supervised by the Chilean authorities & Sernapesca (the National Fisheries Service).
Fishery
The commercial Chilean sea bass fishery is an artisanal, longline fishery, conducted by local fishermen. This fishery takes place from 45-60°S on water depths of 1.200-1.800 meters. At this depth the fish typically weigh 8-12 kg. when caught.
The Chilean sea bass are caught along the Chilean coast south of Santiago. The primary fishing season is February to May and October to December.
The Chilean sea bass fishery is fully managed by Sernapesca (the National Fisheries Service), the governing body for all fishing activity. Sernapesca executes national fishery policies, supervises its enforcement and ensuring proper application of the legal rules and regulations on fishing.
Processing
The Chilean sea bass are landed fresh close to the local processing facilities, which mainly are based nearby Santiago.
The fresh large fish are hand fileted and trimmed to either skinless fillets or H&G (head off & gut out) by experienced personnel.
The products are then individually quick frozen – and the huge skinless filets are cut in suitable fillet portions and packed IVP (individually vacuum packed) immediately to keep the high flesh quality. Each of the H&G trimmed sea bass are also packed individually in plastic bags and master cartons.
Hand filleting and trimming of the large Chilean sea bass fish
Quality control
The local processing facilities all keep a strict HACCP based quality control throughout the processing.
Route to market
Directly from the processing facility the products are shipped to customers across the world. The Chilean sea bass is especially appreciated in US, EU, Japan & China.
Chilean sea bass in the kitchen
The Chilean sea bass is recognized especially in US and Japan as a luxury fish due to its mild flavor and white firm flesh that that falls into succulent flakes. The Chilean sea bass gives a smooth mouthfeel with an umami flavor hinting at butter, nuts and sweetness.
The mild flavor gives a wealth of preparation possibilities; as it takes on flavors from spices and sauces very well – for example citrus, chili or thyme. The Chilean sea bass contains 29,3 grams fat per serving and 1,9 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per serving, which keeps it moist during cooking and makes it difficult to overcook.
The white fillet portions are ideal for a luxury meal – white tender and succulent flesh that melt in your mouth
It lends itself to many different cooking methods including baking, grilling, pan frying/sautéing, meunière frying, broiling, poaching or "en papillotte".
Recipe
Recipe
See all our recipes with Chilean sea bass here
