| Basa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Head of basa fish | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Pangasiidae |
| Genus: | Pangasius |
| Species: | P. bocourti |
| Binomial name | |
| Pangasius bocourti Sauvage, 1880 | |
Basa (Pangasius bocourti), as it iscommonly referred to, is aspecies of primarilyfreshwater-dwellingcatfish in theshark-catfishfamily,Pangasiidae, native to theMekong andChao Phrayariver basins ofMainland Southeast Asia.[2] Economically, these fish are important as a regional food source, and are also prized on the international market. OutsideAsia, such as inNorth America orAustralia, they are often referred to as "basa fish" or "swai"[3] or by theirspecific name, "bocourti".[4] In theUnited Kingdom, all species ofPangasius may, legally, be described as "river cobbler", "cobbler", "basa", "pangasius" or simply "panga", as well as any of these names with the addition of "catfish".[5] In the rest of mainlandEurope, these fish are mostly sold as "pangasius" or "panga".[6] In Asianfish markets, names for basa also include "Pacificdory"[7] and "patin".[8] Other, relatedshark-catfish species may occasionally be labeled—albeit incorrectly—as basa, including the iridescent shark (P. hypophthalmus) and the yellowtail catfish (P. pangasius).
The body of the basa 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 maximum length of 120 centimetres (47 inches).[2]
Basa fish feed on plants. They spawn at the onset of flood season and the young are first seen in June, averaging about five centimetres (two inches) by mid-June.[2]
Some bogey fish are labelled asswai; they are often mislabelled astonguefish inChina.
In 2002, the United States accused Vietnam ofdumping catfish, namelyP. bocourti andP. hypophthalmus, on the American market, arguing that the Vietnamese exporters, who are subsidised by Vietnam's government, were engaged inunfair competition.[9][10]With pressure from the U.S. catfish industry, theUnited States Congress passed a law in 2003 preventing the imported fish from being labelled as catfish, as well as imposing additionaltariffs on the imported fish.[11] Under theU.S. Food and Drug Administration ruling, only species from the familyIctaluridae 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, striped pangasius, swai or bocourti.[12][13]
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.[14]
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 cheaper alternative to popular white fish, such ascod orhaddock.Young's uses it in some of its frozen fish products, under the name basa.[15] 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[16] UKTrading 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, usingDNA evidence, in 2009 and 2010.[17][18] Sometimes pangasius is described, legally, simply as "fish", as in "fish and chips".[18]
Several environmental organisations specialising in marine ecosystems have raised concerns surrounding basa;OceanWise, an environmental group associated with Canada'sVancouver Aquarium, has flagged farmed basa for its potentialpollution of ecosystems and interference with wild species.[19] The group stated: "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."[19] TheMonterey Bay Aquarium inCalifornia currently lists the species in its "red flag" or "avoid" category.[20] Both groups cite USA-farmed catfish as a more sustainable alternative.
Tests byAsda andTesco supermarket corporations in the UK have found no trace of toxic contaminants.[21] Testing by theAustralian Quarantine and Inspection Service found trace levels ofmalachite green, but no other contaminants; this was likely the result of antiparasitic treatment administered to the fish, such as in the treatment ofich (white-spot disease), a common affliction of captive fishes with which malachite green (ormethylene blue) is often remedied.[22][23][24][25]
One case has been reported of a person without a general fishallergy having an anaphylactic reaction to pangasius.[26][27]
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