What Is Barramundi And What Does It Taste Like?

While barramundi isn't quite a household word just yet, expect that to change in the near future. Why? Because this lesser-known species is about to become the sustainable seafood savior we've all been waiting for. Seafood is popular throughout the world. The global demand for seafood has risen over the years, and on average 143.8 million metric tons are thought to be consumed each year, as per Your Fish Guide. Including other uses of seafood, the overall total is reportedly 154 million metric tons. 

Unfortunately, the worldwide fish supply is in a bit of trouble, with the seafood industry fearing poor management of the oceans will result in the inability to meet demand. In less than 30 years, The Better Fish suggests that there may not be nearly enough of some of the world's most popular fish species to go around. Some of the planet's most common fish include the silver carp, common carp, and bighead carp (via World Atlas), but overfishing could one day wipe them out. Here's where the barramundi comes in. This species may be able to help with the impending fish shortage due to its ability to flourish without antibiotics or hormones.

The Better Fish says Barramundi has a subtle, gentle, and mild flavor that makes it a perfect gateway fish for those who may not already be seafood fans. It has a rich, buttery, soft, and slightly sweet flavor, according to Fish Choice. The smell is also on the mild side. While some people don't care for fish due to the strong odor it gives off, this is less of a problem with barramundi as it's not so fishy-smelling as, say, salmon or tuna.

Gourmet Traveller says that one of the best things about barramundi is its versatility. Its white flesh and mild flavor lend themselves well to all manner of preparations and make it something you can use as an ingredient in a variety of dishes, including curries, mango and coconut salad, and steamed barramundi with rice. Much like any other fish these days, barramundi is flash-frozen once caught, meaning it can be easily stored in your freezer and taken out whenever you're ready to cook it. 

Barramundi may not be available in every supermarket just yet, but that is starting to change. Some of the major chains that do carry barramundi on a regular basis include Whole Foods Market, BJ's Club, Costco, Safeway, Albertson's, Harris Teeter, Freshy Thyme, Giant Eagle, and Market Basket. Not all locations will have barramundi on hand at all times, and there are also many other stores that carry it that we did not list. Your best bet to find barramundi is to use the store locator tool on The Better Fish's website and then to follow up with a call to your local store to see whether they currently have any of this fish in stock.

Much of the barramundi available in stores will be sold bagged and frozen so you won't really be able to examine the fish before you buy it. Fish Choice does provide the caveat that not all frozen barramundi are created equal since production and harvesting methods may impact the quality. They advise you to steer clear of pond-raised barramundi if at all possible, as they feel this type of fish may have an "off-flavor."

The worldwide fishing industry is in big trouble. With underpopulated oceans come poor diets for fish, and there are also biodiversity issues because in many cases only certain fish (tuna, salmon, cod, etc.) are being eaten and others are not. Due to the popularity of certain fish, there is pressure on these specific fish stocks, so unsustainable fishing methods are used to catch them. The Western Australia Department of Fisheries says that barramundi, however, are wide-ranging, adaptable, and very prolific (one female can lay up to 32 million eggs), which makes them less likely to be overfished than are some other species.

Fish farming may seem like a solution to the fishing crisis, but farmed fish can be problematic since hormones and antibiotics may be pumped into the water and thus wind up in the fish. What's more, fish farming can be very expensive due to the fact that some species like salmon need to be fed a diet that includes a lot of other fish – The Spruce Eats estimates that you need 3 pounds of feeder fish to get 1 pound of salmon. 

Farmed barramundi, on the other hand, are largely vegetarian. What's more, they can be farmed anywhere, don't create much waste, and, according to GreenBiz, don't need as many antibiotics as other fish. This makes barramundi an attractive prospect for aquaculturists as they are cheaper and more trouble-free to raise than many other species and make for a healthier product.

Barramundi aren't something that U.S.-based sports fishers are likely to get their hooks into anytime soon, although the Western Australia Department of Fisheries says they're really popular with people fishing in Australian waters. Who knows, though, they may get here someday – according to The Better Fish, barramundi are great travelers and have been found to swim hundreds of miles. One barramundi traveled some 400 miles from the spot where it was originally tagged!

In fact, one fun thing about barramundi is that they can be found in both freshwater and saltwater, as well as in estuaries (these are the places where the two types of water meet). Barramundi are actually what you might call catadromous (at least, if you know how to pronounce that word). Catadromous means that they are born in the ocean and live in freshwater, which pretty much makes them the anti-salmon since salmon are born in freshwater and then find their way to the ocean. Not all barramundi get the memo about the freshwater thing, though, since plenty of them spend their whole lives in the briny deep.