BRANZINO

Found in the wild from Norway to Senegal and throughout the Mediterranean and Black Seas, branzino has become the most important fish in aquaculture in the whole Mediterranean region. Filleted, butterflied, or popularly served whole, it's famous for its flaky white flesh and delicate flavor.

Another type of bass is striped bass. They have a large natural marine range, but prefer to spawn in fresh or brackish water. They are dense and rich, with a white, flaky, meaty texture. The great James Beard himself proclaimed this as one of his favorite fish.

Black sea bass is a very pretty fish, with its' iridescent blueish, blackish color and graceful fins. Found from Maine to Florida, it's considered by experts to be responsibly harvested under US regulations, and is regarded as a "Smart Seafood Choice". They feed primarily on shrimp, clams and crabs, and their pure white flesh echoes their diet. Many chefs consider black sea bass to have few rivals in this part of the world.

Technically known as Patagonian toothfish, Chilean sea bass is really not a true bass at all. The name "Chilean sea bass" was coined in the late 1970s for marketing reasons, and was formally approved by the FDA as an alternative name in 1994. The meat is very white with a high fat content. In 2001 it was chosen as Bon Appétit's "Dish of the Year."