High-Value Fish of Songkhla Lake Basin
“The most delicious sea bass are found here, raised in Koh Yo” proudly states Mr. Jiravat Chutinthorn, Head of the Rak Koh Yo Community Enterprise Group, comprised of around 40 sea bass fishermen.
With the changing tides and seasonal rotation of freshwater, saltwater, and brackish water throughout the year, fish meat from here has a distinct character. Meat of three-water sea bass caught in Songkhla Lake is white, tender, sweet-tasting, with little to no fishy odor.
Mr. Jiravat began his career raising caged sea bass in 2002. Such fishing businesses are inherited from generation to generation among the people of Koh Yo. Newborn bass fry bred in Chachoengsao are transported to Pattani or Satun for raising before being released into cages in the Songkhla Lake Basin. Mr. Jiravat starts by raising the bass with pellet food, gradually mixing in minced fish heads until the fry grow large enough to be fed solely with fish heads, which includes Indian mackerel, sardines, and red fish. Rest assured that the sea bass are raised using 100% natural methods.
When bass are over 2 years old, they have generally grown large enough to be caught and sold. Customers include restaurants in Hat Yai, Songkhla, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Nakhon Si Thammarat. Fish are also sold fresh directly from the farm, where they are divided into portions for immediate cooking by customers.
“Currently, the group uses a fish-slicing technique, called Ike Jime, that helps preserve some of the qualities of the fish meat, with training having been provided by both Japanese and Thai chefs on three occasions”, says Mr. Jiravat, on describing the Japanese art of killing fish, a delicate and spiritual procedure requiring sensitivity to dispatch the fish in a timely, painless, and peaceful manner.
Since 2022, Songkhla Lake Sea Bass has been the 3rd GI product registered in Songkhla Province. Sea bass has become the pride of the lake basin. It can be used in various delicious menu items, such as boiled sea bass with dipping sauce, with chili, sour curry, and tom yum. The fish is highly nutritious and rich in omega fatty-acids, collagen, and other good fats.
“Sea bass is highly valuable and has a lot of potential for market growth. Farm quality control, including both feed and water quality, allows us to produce fish that meet the high standards and high demand of a wide range of customers. Currently, we have customers from China and Japan who have contacted us for bulk purchases of our produce. The group has plans to increase production capacity”, says Mr. Jiravat.
In addition to fresh and frozen fish, the group also offers processed products such as sea bass shabu soup and smoked sea bass fillets as additional purchase options for customers.
Raising sea bass in open cages is a naturally chemical-free fishing method that produces safe food, ensures stability, and maintains the environment of Songkhla Lake, so that it may continue in abundance