Salmon, Tuna or Cod? Or the newest option we might be seeing in Australian fish markets, Pompano? A group of scientists led by Dr Polly Hilder from the CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, have recently completed successful breeding trials of the fish. These trials bring Pompano one step closer to swimming onto the plates of Australians across the country.

Traditionally, the fish market in Australia has been limited to a narrow selection of species, many of which are grown and produced overseas. However, Hilder’s team aims to use the Pompano to diversify choice and bring new industry opportunity to Australia, a prospect she presented at the 2024 CSIRO AgCatalyst conference in November.

“We’re bringing a new species to Australian plates to give consumers more options, while opening up new export opportunities to strengthen Australia’s white-flesh fish industry,” says Dr Hilder

According to the CSIRO’s National Protein Roadmap, the industry aims to produce 50,000 tonnes of white-flesh fish off Australian shores. This would create more than 1,000 jobs for Australians in the northern tropical climate.

Hilder believes that “the Pompano is a robust, sociable fish endemic to northern Australia that grows really quickly and tastes great. [This makes] it an ideal candidate for adapting to [the Australian] aquaculture environment.”

The team is also exploring options to make the production of this fish more sustainable.

“We’re applying innovative circular economy approaches designed around welfare that make use of resources end-to-end- from capturing value from production processes, through to utilising the whole fish at the consumer end,” says Hilder, “For example, fish waste is high in phosphorous and nitrogen nutrients and can be turned into valuable byproducts such as fertiliser capsules”

Most importantly, the fish also tastes great! Andy Allen, MasterChef judge and co-owner/chef at Three Blue Ducks, was tasked with highlighting the Pompano’s culinary qualities at AgCatalyst.

“I’ve had some time to work with this fish in my kitchen at home and it tastes great as a mildly sweet, high quality white meat the is firm but finely flaked,” says Mr Allen, “I’ve been able to use the whole fish in a variety of ways – from simply cooking the fillets in olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon, to getting a bit wilder by crisping up the wings and using the head in a couple of different ways too.”

He continued, “I think it’s awesome to think we can breed this fish here in Australia sustainably and supply it to consumers in the future.”