Asian seabass and barramundi are the same fish: Lates calcarifer. It is sold as "barramundi" in Australia and the United States, as "Asian seabass" across much of Asia and the Middle East, and under local names such as cá chẽm in Vietnam. If a quotation says either name, confirm the scientific name and you are comparing the same product.
Names by market
| Market | Names you will see |
|---|---|
| Australia | Barramundi ("barra") |
| United States | Barramundi, Asian sea bass |
| UK and European Union | Barramundi, Asian sea bass |
| UAE and the Gulf | Barramundi (باراموندي), Asian seabass; retailers sometimes list it with قاروص (sea bass) |
| India and Bangladesh | Bhetki, barramundi |
| Thailand | Pla kapong (ปลากะพงขาว) |
| Indonesia | Kakap putih |
| Malaysia | Siakap |
| Philippines | Apahap |
| Vietnam | Cá chẽm |
Fish that are not the same
"Sea bass" is used for several unrelated species. These are the ones most often confused with barramundi:
- European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) – farmed in the Mediterranean and sold as branzino, loup de mer or lubina. A smaller fish with a different flavour and price.
- Chinese or Japanese seabass (Lateolabrax species) – farmed in China and often exported simply as "seabass fillet".
- Chilean seabass – the trade name for Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides), a deep-water fish with no relation to barramundi.
- Black sea bass (Centropristis striata) – a wild fish from the US Atlantic coast.
Why it matters when you buy
- Put the scientific name on your purchase order. "Seabass fillet" alone can mean three different species at three different prices.
- Label with an accepted market name. Each market sets which names may be used on packs. In the US, check the FDA Seafood List; in Australia, the Australian Fish Names Standard uses "Barramundi" for Lates calcarifer.
- Compare like with like. When you benchmark prices from different suppliers, check that every quote is for Lates calcarifer, in the same form (whole round, skin-on or skinless fillet, portion), size grade and glaze.
Buying Asian seabass from Vietnam
Vietnam farms Lates calcarifer along its coast and exports it frozen as whole round fish, skin-on and skinless fillets and portions. Whether your market calls it barramundi or Asian seabass, it is the same fish.
See our barramundi (Asian seabass) specifications or request a quote.