| Market Names |
White Sea Bass, Seabass, Pacific White Sea Bass |
| Where Caught |
U.S. Pacific Coast, California and Baja Mexico |
| How Caught |
Hook-and-Line, Gillnet |
White Sea Bass - Pacific
Despite its name, the White Sea Bass (Atractoscion nobilis) is not a sea bass but a member of the Croaker and Drum family (Sciaenidae). The family is named after the croaking sound emitted by the fish by vibrating the air bladder. The White Sea Bass is the largest species of Croaker in California waters. White Sea Bass is found along the U.S. Pacific coast and into Mexico. It is commercially and recreationally fished. A hatchery in southern California raises and releases juvenile White Sea Bass to supplement the wild stocks.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood WATCH® rates White Sea Bass as a “Best Choice” when caught by hook-and-line and "Good Alternative" when caught by gillnet due to the effective management of the fishery and because the “population has recovered after previous overfishing.”
| Sources | |
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Species NameAtractoscion nobilis |
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SourceWhite Sea Bass are found along the U.S. Pacific Coast from San Francisco Bay to Magdelena Bay, Baja California. They move north with warming water and can then be found in Alaska but most come from California. Juveniles can be found with drifting kelp and kelp beds as well as around piers. |
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SeasonalityWhite Sea Bass are available commercially from June to March. Recreationally, they are available year round. |
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Fishing MethodWhite Sea Bass are wild-captured by gillnet and hook-and-line. |
| Features | |
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FlavorThe meat is moderately fatty and has a mild taste. White Sea Bass are flaky with firm texture. |
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Dietary InformationPer 100g raw edible portion: Source: USDA |
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AppearanceWhite Sea Bass has an elongated body and pointed head. The coloring is bluish-grey above with dark speckling that fades to silver below. The young have dark vertical bars. The flesh is white. |
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FormFresh White Sea Bass are most typically head-on and dressed. Primary processors and distributor / processors fillet into Skin-on and skinless fillets as well as portions. |
| Uses | |
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PreparationPacific White Sea Bass adapts well to many cooking methods. Be creative, bake, broil, grill, poach, sauté or steam. |
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SubstitutionOther Sea Bass and Grouper can be substituted for White Sea Bass. |
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HandlingWhite Sea Bass should be refrigerated at 30-34 degrees F. Whole fish should be surrounded with fresh ice in a perforated pan which allows any water to drain away from the product for maximum shelf life. Never directly ice a White Sea Bass fillet. Filleted product should be stored in a sealed plastic container and surrounded with ice. |
| Market | |
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Sizes and CutsThe minimum legal length of commercially caught White Sea Bass is 28 inches. Most fish landed will range from 15-40 pounds. Frozen wild-capture White Sea Bass is seldom available as strong demand absorbs all fresh production. |
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Pricing ScalePrices for White Sea Bass can vary significantly. During peak production, which is generally during June and July, prices can become very attractive. Due to market and currency fluctuations, please contact your Seattle Fish Company of New Mexico associate for up-to-date market information, current pricing and product availability. |
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Shelf LifeFresh whole White Sea Bass which has been handled and stored properly should retain optimum quality for 4-5 days. Once the fish is filleted or portioned product should be used within 2-3 days. |