Why is Basa fish banned?

Why is Basa fish banned?

Basa (Pangasius bocourti), which is largely grown in Mekong delta, is found to be infested with unsafe drugs, many of which are carcinogenic in nature, say reports. In 2007, the US Food and Drug Administration banned the import of the several fish, including the Vietnamese Basa.

How is Basa fish farmed in Vietnam?

Basa is imported from south-east Asia, where it is predominantly farmed along Vietnam’s Mekong River in ponds, tanks and cages close to or in the Mekong. Farms discharge wastewater to the river, which likely cause localised pollution.

Why is Basa fish so cheap?

It is a type of catfish and its Latin name is Pangasius bocourti. Basa is said to be inexpensive because it grows fast, it’s easily harvested and it’s processed in factories near the farm. Being able to get the fish to market without the expense of maintaining a fleet of fishing boats helps keep the price low.

Does Vietnam have catfish?

Halfway across the globe, numerous species of catfish have also thrived in Vietnamese culture. In the ecologically-similar Mekong Delta of southern Vietnam, various species of catfish, especially shark catfish of the family Pangasius, have long supported the dietary needs of local populations.

What kind of fish is a basa catfish?

Real basa, P. bocourti, is one of 21 species in the Pagasiidae family of catfish found throughout Southeast Asia. Cambodian and Vietnamese fish farmers have raised basa in cages along the Mekong River for decades. But P. hypophthalmus, or swai, known locally as tra, has become the preferred farmed species.

Where does the basa fish come from in Vietnam?

Basa is mainly imported from Vietnam, where it is farmed in the Mekong River. Farm waste discharged into the Mekong River has minor and localised pollution impacts in comparison to the impacts of other human activities along the river. Basa are omnivorous fish that are fed a proportion of wild caught fish in their diets.

What kind of catfish is sold in Vietnam?

When trade with Vietnam resumed in 1994, U.S. seafood importers started shipping fillets from a Vietnamese catfish called basa, or bocourti. But most of what’s sold in the market today as basa isn’t basa. Real basa, P. bocourti, is one of 21 species in the Pagasiidae family of catfish found throughout Southeast Asia.

What kind of fish is swai or Basa?

Basa/Swai. Real basa, P. bocourti, is one of 21 species in the Pagasiidae family of catfish found throughout Southeast Asia. Cambodian and Vietnamese fish farmers have raised basa in cages along the Mekong River for decades. But P. hypophthalmus, or swai, known locally as tra, has become the preferred farmed species.