Based on tonnage sold to consumers, foodservice and food manufacturers, 10 seafood varieties made up more than 88% of seafood consumption. And you’ve never even heard of #10!

You won’t be surprised at the top 3 on the list: shrimp, canned tuna and salmon. But what is the new fish on the block, #10, pangasius (pan-GAY-see-us)?

You may see pangasius on menus or in stores, under its more consumer-friendly names: white catfish, Vietnamese river cobbler, basa, tra and swai. Farmed in the Mekong Delta in southwestern Vietnam, this mild white-fleshed fish is a less costly substitute for tilapia. It is primarily used in food service, with new growth seen among food manufacturers.

Pangasius: the new white fish. Photo
courtesy Chinguyen.net.

In between shrimp, canned tuna and salmon at the top and pangasius in the #10 position are Alaska pollack, tilapia, crab, catfish, cod and clams.

• See the Top 10 chart comparing 2008 and 2009 seafood consumption.
• To learn more about depleted fish species and which types are environmentally safe to eat, visit Seafood Watch, which includes terrific information from the Montery Bay Aquarium.
• Check out all the varieties of seafood in our Seafood Glossary.