Whitebait are the juveniles of six species of fish. Five of these are migratory galaxiids: inanga, banded kōkopu, giant kōkopu, kōaro and shortjaw kōkopu. The sixth species is common smelt.
YES, BONES, HEAD… EVERYTHING
The whitebait concept – very small fish cooked and eaten whole including head, fins, bones and innards – is recognised all over the world but is applied to different species reflecting what is or was available locally. In most of Europe, whitebait are young sprats and the sprat is a small cousin of the herring. In fact based on size, it might be more appropriate to call the sprat a nephew of the herring and we’re talking about the sprat’s offspring, which I believe would be the great nephews and great nieces of the herring.
On this basis a whitebait should be between two and three inches long, and whilst they will normally these days be young sprats, other similar fish have fitted the bill in the past including young herring and sardines (both closely related to sprats). Sprats are caught all round European costs including the Baltic, Mediterranean and Black Seas. The two main sources in recent years have been the Baltic and the Black Sea. The Black Sea supply comes and goes but the Baltic supply has been quite steady.
For whitebait, the immediately obvious issue is sustainability. How can you take large quantities of these immature fish, which have never spawned, without hurting the biomass? Undeniably, whitebait fishing has dried up in many parts of the world due to too much fishing pressure. Nevertheless, European whitebait is generally at the lesser concern end of sustainability ratings. As of January 2019, the Marine Conservation Society rates at the Baltic Sea stock as sustainable.
At least part of the reason is that the sprat is very prolific and it matures early, sometimes within 18 months. Female sprats can spawn up to 10 times a year, producing up to 50,000 eggs in a season. That’s not a lot of eggs compared to a cod, but if the fishing is sensible, it’s enough to keep the supply steady. In fact, neither whitebait nor tinned sprats (or brisling as they are known in Scandinavia) is the main destiny of the sprat. This fish is mostly caught for industrial use – it’s turned into fishmeal and fish oils for humans and animals. About 400,000 tons of European sprats including whitebait are caught every year and only a fraction end up as food.
Get to know the five fish in whitebait
FAQ
What is another name for whitebait fish?
Is whitebait a baby sardine?
Is whitebait fish good to eat?
Are anchovies and whitebait the same fish?
What is a whitebait fish?
Look up whitebait in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Whitebait is a collective term for the immature fry of fish, typically between 25 and 50 millimetres (1 and 2 in) long. Such young fish often travel together in schools along coasts, and move into estuaries and sometimes up rivers where they can be easily caught using fine-meshed fishing nets.
Can you eat a whole whitebait?
Whitebait is an old English term for tiny fish that are often dusted in flour and fried until crispy. It’s a favorite British snack, and since whitebait is always smaller than your pinky finger, you can eat the whole fish. The immature fish are tender, and you don’t have to clean them or avoid bones and fins like you do larger fish.
Are whitebait migratory?
Whitebait are the juveniles of six species of fish. Five of these are migratory galaxiids: inanga, banded kōkopu, giant kōkopu, kōaro and shortjaw kōkopu. The sixth species is common smelt. The name galaxiid comes from the patterns on the skin of adult fish that look like a galaxy of stars.
Which whitebait is best?
The best-quality small fish are often blue anchovies, which are commonly found in Asian markets. You can find whitebait fresh in season and frozen year-round. Frozen whitebait should be thawed overnight and patted dry before cooking. Fried whitebait is best enjoyed fresh and hot.