Vietnamese catfish is a success in the UK

Over the last year, Britons have eaten more than 555 tons of basa. It is one of a series of unusual fish growing in popularity in the UK, as shoppers and retailers look for alternatives to the threatened stocks of more traditional species like cod and haddock, the Sunday Telegraph reports.

Basa is a mild flavoured freshwater fish, farmed in the Mekong delta. It is sold in the UK as fillets or in processed meals, and in fish & chips shops. Sales last year totalled more than £4 million. Sales of wild Pollock, farmed sea bass and tilapia have also risen hugely.

Cod remains the most popular fish (54,000tons eaten in 2007), but sales have fallen by 12 per cent. Haddock and tuna also saw a decline. Experts believe consumers are turning away from the traditional species due to concerns over the long-term sustainability of some stocks.