Grill it, bake it, fry it, poach it. Tilapia has a firm, flaky white flesh and a mild taste to adapt to any style of cooking and every combination of flavors.


Tilapia is native to Africa and well suited to aquaculture, and is a robust, fast-growing and easy-to-rear species. Its adaptability in cooking, ease to farm and relatively low cost have made it a popular seafood around the world. This tasty fish grows rapidly, breeds readily and eats a mostly vegetarian diet, making it an excellent choice for aquaculture. Try tilapia with beurre rouge and toasted orzo or crispy tilapia tacos.

 

Also known as:

 Tilapia, blue tilapia, Mozambique tilapia, Nile tilapia, St. Peter’s fish

Availability:

 Year-round

Product forms:

 Fresh and frozen, whole, fillets or pre-seasoned

Shopping tips:

 Tilapia skin color can vary, but has no affect on the taste of the fish.

Substitutions:

 Tilapia is flaky and mild-tasting, and can be substituted for any similar fish, including flounders, cod or other mild, white fish.

Recipes:

Tilapia with beurre rouge and toasted orzo

Crispy tilapia tacos
Farming Method: Tilapia is very versatile and can be grown in all aquaculture production facilities including ponds, raceways, floating cages and tanks. More.

Conservation Notes:

 Farmed tilapia eat a predominantly vegetarian-based diet, reducing the need to harvest wild fish to feed them. More.
Last Updated: June 2008

 

Farming Method

Tilapia is very versatile and can be grown in all aquaculture production facilities including ponds, raceways, floating cages and tanks. Pond production is the most common method, usually using a series of three ponds—a spawning pond, acclimation pond and grow-out pond, where the tilapia live until they are harvested. A tilapia is ready to be harvested when it is about six months old.

Farming Location

Tilapia farming occurs in more than 50 countries worldwide, and product from anywhere in the world can be found in U.S. markets. Production in the U.S. is mainly located in California, Arizona, Texas, Missouri, Florida and New York.

Farm Management

In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency regulates and monitors antibiotic use in tilapia farms, and sets standards to minimize runoff and pollution from these farms.

Conservation Notes

Farmed tilapia eat a predominantly vegetarian-based diet, reducing the need to harvest wild fish to feed them. As a whole, tilapia have fewer impacts than other farmed species, making them a good seafood choice. While tilapia are a good all-round choice, U.S. farms are often held to higher environmental requirements and grown in systems that minimize the potential for escapes. There are, of course, individual farms in other countries that also have high environmental standards, look for those products that highlight their environmentally responsible actions.