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Beche De Mer
(Sea Cucumber - Trepang)

Also known as Redfish and Nanny's.

Nannygai have moderately short compressed bodies, a spiny head, large eyes and rough scales.  The upper parts of their head and body are red and the lower surface silvery.  The scales have red spots forming thin lines along their body, and their eyes are red.  The tail is red and other fins are pinkish.

Nannygai | Redfish live in south-eastern waters of Australia and the species is abundant off the New South Wales coast.

Juvenile Nannygai inhabit estuaries and shallow coastal waters while adults are found over reefs and mud substrates in continental shelf and slope waters to a depth of 450 metres.

Spawning takes place in late summer and autumn.  Nannygai are relatively slow growing, maturing at approximately 4 years of age and lengths of 20-25 cm.  They reach a maximum size of 38 cm fork length for females at age 16 years and 33cm for males at 11 years.  Nannygai in New Zealand waters have been reported to reach a total length of 50 cm.

Prior to World War II most Nannygai that were caught by trawlers operating off New South Wales were discarded due to their low market price.  Following the War, landings by steam trawlers increased and peaked at 2500t in 1949, mainly as a result of declining tiger flathead catches.  Nannygai catches declined as steam trawlers left the fishery and the catch during the 1950s and 1960s was taken primarily by Danish seiners.

Angling for Nannygai | Red Fish:

Nannygai are often caught by recreational anglers on reefs and are an excellent live bait for Yellowfin Tuna. Nannygai can be caught on rod & reel or handline.

Saltwater Fish - What bait to use for fishing - a list of saltwater baits with the main "diners" who will be tempted.

Good bait for Nannygai | Redfish is squid, fish pieces and prawns. Use 1/0 to 3/0 hooks and heavy weight sinkers as Nannygai | Redfish are usually found close to the bottom.

Cooking Nannygai | Red Fish:

Nannygai or Red Fish have pale pink flesh. There is a medium to high fat content. Cooked, the flavour is sweet and delicate. Delicious!

Alternative Fish you can use:
Bream, hussar, morwong, Flathead, tarwhine, whiting.

Microwave Cooking Times for Fish
- Fish fillets – 5 minutes per 500g on medium-high, +50 seconds more for thicker fillets, or until flesh flakes
- Whole fish - Large – 6 minutes/750g on medium
- Whole fish – Small – 3-4 minutes on medium

Recipes Suitable for this fish:

Red Snapper with Island Citrus Shrimp Ceviche and Lemon Beurre Blanc	Mussel and Red Snapper Soup	Vietnamese Snapper	Prosciutto Wrapped Snapper

SIZE: whole 0,4-2 kg, fillet 80-150 g

IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Dorsal fin with seven spines and 11-12 soft rays. Eye rim mostly red in colour. Caudal fin without black or reddish tips. Large nostrils almost touching one another. The dorsal-fin base is longer the anal-fin base and the anal fin has four spines and 11-12 soft rays.

COMPARISONS: Unique among redfishes in having seven spines in the dorsal fin. Lacks the belly scutes typical of the similar looking roughies (Trachichthyidae).

FILLETS: A deep short fillet tapering sharply towards the tail. The flesh is soft to medium textured with a delicate flavor.

HABITAT: Schools around rocky reefs and muddy bottoms in depths of between 5-400 metres. It feeds off a wide variety of small fish, crustaceans and molluscs fastened to rocks.

CATCHING METHODS: Longlining day boats.

Sea-Ex Trade Seafood Directory for Producers, Processors, Exporters, Importers and wholesale suppliers of Directory of Exporters, Importers & Processors, Wholesale & Agents of Redfish | Nannygai

More links about Nannygai | Red Fish

Australian Government - Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (PDF file) - Australian Fisheries Statistics 2010/2011