Catch Info:

• Method:
  Ponds
• Gear:
  Intensive ponds

View details of SeafoodWatch Catch Methods

Description:

Tilapia is an extremely mild, lean fish.

Tilapia is farm-raised in fresh, warm waters around the world, but originated in Africa and the Middle East.

Tilapia are very hardy and suitable for aquaculture, thus they require little chemical treatment to maintain healthy populations. They also require very little fish protein in their diet and subsist on food composed of primarily plant proteins. As a result they produce more fish protein than they consume. Tilapia are farmed in both closed systems (ponds) and open systems (cages in lakes and reservoirs). The closed pond systems are more sustainable because of their limited interaction with the surrounding ecosystem. Cage systems are open and can allow tilapia waste and escaped fish into the surrounding ecosystem. The majority of fresh tilapia in the U.S. is imported from Honduras, Ecuador and Costa Rica, while most frozen tilapia originates in China and Taiwan. In general, farming practices and government oversight in Central and South America result in a more sustainable product than in China and Taiwan where there are still many negative environmental impacts from tilapia aquaculture. Fresh tilapia is flown to the U.S., resulting in a higher carbon footprint than frozen tilapia that is imported by container ship.

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