Pomapano Family
[family Lutjanidae (Snappers)]
These are deep bodied ocean fish of family Carangidae (Jacks and Pompanos). and are prized eating fish worldwide. The family is, however, a bit confusing because some pompanos are called Butterfish and Pomfret while some fish from those families are called "Pompano".
More on Varieties of Fish (large page).
Black Pomfret -
[C. Parastromateus niger]
Actually not a Pomfret but a Pompano (the two families look a lot alike),
this is an Indo-West Pacific fish ranging from the north coast of Australia
to southern Japan and from Africa to Borneo. It can grow to 29
inches but the photo specimen was 10 inches and weighed 12 ounces, toward
the large size seen in the markets. Not all black pomfret are as dark as
this one, color ranges to light gray. Though highly commercial this is a
fast breeding fish and not considered threatened,
Details and Cooking.
Pompano -
[Trachinotus carolinus (Florida Pompano, Common Pompano);
Trachinotus blochii (Golden Pompano, Asian Pompano)]
Pompano is a highly preferred eating fish. The specimen in the photo was
marketed as "Golden Pompano" which is supposed to be T. blochii but
it looks more like Florida Pompano T. carolinus. T. blochii
has a much longer dorsal fin. Both can vary in shape because they tend to
get more elongated as they become older and larger. Florida wild caught
pompanos are very expensive (actually this fish is found from Massachusetts
to Brazil). Both species are farmed commercially and I wouldn't be at all
surprised at hybrids of the two. T. carolinus can grow to 25 inches
and T. blochii to 43 inches but the photo specimen was 12-1/4 inches
and weighed 1 pound 9 ounces, at the high end of market size here in Los
Angeles.
Details and Coking.
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