Freshwater Barra vs Nile Perch

[coraltrout68]

Was hoping to get some comments on the eating qualities of a Freshwater Barra and the imported Nile Perch.

The general concenus seems to be that the freshwater Barra, i.e. the bigs ones caught out of Tinaroo and Awoonga etc are no good to eat.

The Nile Perch by all accounts is a close relative to the Barramundi. It also grows to a massive size, but unlike the Barra it lives solely in freshwater.

I would think that by that account a Nile Perch would be as tasty as a freshwater Barra.

So why is the Nile Perch imported into this country by the tonne each year, I know that the major supermarket chains sell Nile Perch and I've seen it in fish and chip shops.

Can anyone tell me that a Nile Perch chews better than a 15kg dam caught Barra?

Is there something that we can be doing with the tonnes of Barramundi that are caught in our dams each year, weighted in, photographed and then thrown in the bin??

Shane

[theoldlegend]

Hi Shane,

I can't compare them as I've eaten neither of them. I won't buy imported fish from the supermarkets just on principle, as I'm not yet convinced that the water quality overseas is up to scratch. Another reason for me is, "Why buy imported?"

Same as the imported prawns I see: "Thawed for your convenience". Geez, that's good of them to do that just for me!!

It wasn't all that long ago that the supermarket chains were told to clean up their act in relation to all these weird and wonderful names they were putting on imported fish.

If I were handed 2 fillets of fish, one of which was a fresh water barra, and the other was a nile perch, I know which one I'd choose.

TOL

[DICER]

I regularly eat Nile Perch fillets as I live in the Netherlands. Compared to Barra I think the flesh is firmer and you tend to have a more broader and rosier center line in the fillet.

To me the difference between Barra and Nile Perch is clear, but I think that some customers are being duped into thinking Nile Perch is Barra when sold Australia, but I may be wrong. Barra is by far better, though, the stuff I eat here has travelled from afar.

Here the Nile Perch sells for 10 Euro a kilo. The fact of the matter is that they import this via air or sea for much much less because it comes out of Africa - sometimes specifically from Lake Victoria (where the fish have taken over the lake and labor costs are very low). I think the same would apply to those fillets ending up in Coles, Woolworths or a like. They would import them at a fraction of the cost compared to the locally caught Barra.

I think Australia should be supportting their own industry and exporting more.

I can't say anything about the bigs ones caught out of Tinaroo and Awoonga etc are no good to eat. But I can say that the each piece of Barra has been better than Nile Perch and there is no exaggeration.

[coraltrout68]

Sounds like our freshwater Barra would chew any worse than the Nile Perch so it seems a shame that good fish are thrown in the bin.
Another report said that 20 Barra caught in last weeks Awoonga competition were to be thrown in the bin. Thats say 300kg of fish or 150kg of fillets, surely a meals on wheels or any charitable organisation would love to get there hands on that much fish for free.

[S.S.]

I don't know what the "barramundi" actually was that was served up on my plate at a Bribie Island Fish N Chips Shop (the pink shop near the ramp) but it gave me food poisoning........

Ahh, you gotta weigh your fish in so you're a hero in the eyes of the people in the caravan park at awoonga. It's an ego thing. Tossers!

[Awoonga]

Ahh, you gotta weigh your fish in so you're a hero in the eyes of the people in the caravan park at awoonga. It's an ego thing. Tossers! .............
Leeann...well put...Even in the Pro Am there was this well known fishing writer that l had a great deal of respect for.... doing the same thing...ego...

[DICER]

By Nile Perch fillets being firmer - I mean they are almost tough to chew.

[fish2eat]

I have eaten a lot of Barra, and it has ranged from awful (read muddy) to heavenly. The best of Barra is why it gets rated so highly, but it is inconsistent and varies according to size, location caught, as well as all the handling after catching.

I reckon Nile Perch to be fair to good and reliably so. The best Nile Perch beats the wordt Barra. Since Nile Pech can always be bought for $8 to $11 a kilo and non-imported Barra is never under $22 a kilo, Nile Perch represents good value.

That being said, there are issues such as supporting a local industry, concerns about origin of imported fish, etc

However, I have yet to hear anyone declare freshwater impoundment Barra to be great eating.

[turkey_beach_boy]

Turn them into rissoles that allways work for crapee tasting fish LOL