Pangasius is a freshwater fish inhabiting the flowing waters of Mekong River in Southeast Asia. It belongs to the family Pangasiidae with more than 20 different species and is popularly called “Shark catfish” because of its sharp dorsal fins.

 

Pangasius have become the tenth most popular seafood product eaten in the United States. Consumers are eating about 6 ounces of Pangasius per year and demand for this moderately priced selection is expected to continue to increase. It is a primary example of the increasing demand and dependence on aquaculture or farm raised seafood products.

 

Pangasius was introduced in the Philippines, by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources research station in Tanay in 1981. Breeding trials were started in 1985 and protocols for breeding and grow-out of the fish had been developed ever since. Since then, BFAR has dispersed brood stocks of Pangasius in Regions II and III.

 

For lack of market as food fish in the past, fingerlings produced were sold in the ornamental or aquarium business as “hammerhead”.However, the recent popularity of Pangasius fillet in both the global and the local upscale markets have revitalized the aquaculture industry’s interest in farming the fish as a food commodity.

 

Big volumes of Pangasius are being imported from Vietnam finding their way to local upscale restaurants and hotels. Pangasius dishes are being served locally under several exotic names such as Cobbler Fish, Cream Dory Fish, Basa Fish and others.

PANGASIUS (Cream Dory)