Tilapia

Tilapia have gone from being an obscure fish to one of the most popular fish in many cultures. Tilapia are easily grown and consumers like tilapia's firm flesh and mild flavor. Markets have expanded rapidly in the U.S. during the last 10 years, mostly based on foreign imports. Tilapia sales have surpassed rainbow trout sales in the U.S. and Tilapia is now the fifth most popular seafood consumed in the United States.

Tilapia are a good source of protein, vitamins and contain omega 3 fatty acids and omega-6 compounds.

Tilapia is often broiled and served with tartar sauce and is quite delicious. Other preparations include grilling, baking, blackening and others.

Tilapia are the second most important group of farm raised fish in the world. The species has been introduced in over 100 countries. Tilapia farming and consumption is rapidly increasing in the U.S. Worldwide harvests of farmed tilapia surpasses 800,000 metric tons and tilapia are second only to carp as the most widely farmed freshwater fish in the world.

Raising tilapia is easy and inexpensive. They are easily spawned, tolerate poor water quality, and grow rapidly at warm temperatures. The fish adapt well to fresh or salt water and fatten fast. Unlike many farm raised fish tilapia do not require fishmeal and fish oil as an essential part of their diet. This enables tilapia to be grown on a grain based diet. These attributes, along with relatively low input costs, have made tilapia the most widely cultured freshwater fish in tropical and subtropical countries.

In the United States, the geographic range for tilapia culture is limited by the temperature-sensitivity of tilapia. For optimal growth the ideal water temperature range is 82-86 °F, and growth is reduced greatly below 68 °F. Death occurs below 50 °F. Therefore, only the southernmost states are suitable for tilapia production.

Best Aquaculture Practices certification is coming for Tilapia Production.

As with other BAP standards for fish, those proposed for tilapia facilities include a set of base-level "global" standards that specify the sustainable use of land, water, nutrients, and other resources, and strive to prevent culture methods from causing environmental damage.

BAP certification for tilapia farms will help insure that fish do not contain residues of antibiotics and other chemicals, and that they are free of microbial contamination.

BAP certification for tilapia farms will address tilapia that are grown in controlled ponds, cages in lakes and reservoirs and other methods.

Certified farms must provide adequate living conditions for fish that limit stress, potential injury, and exposure to disease. Suitable stocking densities and feeding procedures that reduce the use of marine-based feed ingredients must be employed. Proper procedures must be used during harvest and transport.

A new coalition representing virtually all the fresh tilapia producers and distributors has been formed. The companies involved are Aquamericas (or Mountain Stream, ENACA), Golden Lake Tilapia (or Nicanor), Marine Harvest, Rain Forest Aquaculture, Regal Springs Tilapia, Shell and Fish (or Empagram) and Tropical Aquaculture (or Aquamar, Santa Prascila). Their goal is to make sure consumers understand the benefits of fresh tilapia, and to fight low cost products that are refreshed and may have been treated with Carbon monoxide.

Tilapia, also known as St. Peter's fish is a spiny-finned freshwater fish of the family Cichlidae. Found mainly in the waters of Africa and the Middle East, non-native populations are established in Arizona, Florida and Nevada, USA and Queensland and Victoria, Australia.

Tipilia are an important source of food both in their native lands as well as places such as North America where they are grown as food fish. Economically they are beneficial as the fish are fast growing, easy to raise and resistant to diseases.

The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) may have been farmed in ancient Egypt. It is a commercially important tilapia of aquaculture. A number of other species and hybrids are used for tilapia aquaculture.

Tilapia should not be released into the wild. Since tilapias are fast growing and eat up the surrounding zooplankton they can potentially be an invasive species when introduced into non-native environments. Negative results of releasing tilapia can affect a wide array of environmental attributes that are important to support recreation, water quality, plant and animal diversity, and species abundance.

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

2 pounds tilapia fillets
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
3 green onions, chopped
thinly sliced lemon and parsley for garnish, optional

Place fillets in a single layer on a greased baking dish or broiler
pan; brush with lemon juice.

Combine Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, salt, butter, and green onions in
a small bowl; set aside.

Broil flounder fillets 4 to 6 minutes, or until fish flakes easily
with a fork. Remove from oven; spread with cheese
mixture.

Broil about 30 seconds longer, or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.

Garnish with sliced lemon and parsley if desired.

Serves 6 to 8.