Basa (fish)
Basa (Pangasius bocourti) is a species of catfish in the family Pangasiidae. Basa are native to the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins in Mainland Southeast Asia.[2] These fish are important as a food source, and also on the international market. They are often labelled in North America and Australia as "basa fish", "swai",[3] or "bocourti".[4] In the UK all species of Pangasius may legally be described as "river cobbler", "cobbler", "basa", "pangasius", "panga", or any of these with the addition of "catfish".[5] In the rest of Europe, these fish are commonly marketed as "pangasius" or "panga".[6] In Asian markets, names for basa include "Pacific dory"[7] and "patin".[8] Other related shark catfish may occasionally be incorrectly labeled as basa fish, including P. hypophthalmus (iridescent shark) and P. pangasius (yellowtail catfish).
Not to be confused with Bass (fish).Environmental and health concerns[edit]
Several environmental organisations concerned with marine ecosystems have raised concerns about basa. OceanWise, an environmental organisation associated with the Vancouver Aquarium, has flagged farmed basa for its potential pollution of ecosystems and interference with wild species.[19] It writes, "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] The Monterey Bay Aquarium currently lists the basa in its "red flag" or "avoid" category.[20] Both groups cite USA farmed catfish as a more sustainable alternative.
Tests by the Asda and Tesco supermarkets in the UK have found no trace of toxic contaminants.[21] Testing from AQIS found trace levels of malachite green, but no other contaminants.[22][23][24]
One case has been reported of a person without a general fish allergy having an anaphylactic reaction to pangasius.[25][26]