NT barramundi has its day as it is honoured across the country

ONE of the Territory’s favourite icons is being celebrated as the noble barra is honoured across the country

Executive chef James Fiske from Snapper Rocks is a big barra fan. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

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ONE of the Territory’s favourite icons is being celebrated as the noble barra is honoured across the country.

But while the national market sees 60 per cent of seafood imported from overseas, the NT leads Australia with fresh local barramundi available at the local restaurant or even at one of the Top End’s famous fishing spots.

Snapper Rocks executive chef James Fiske said the barramundi industry was successful because the product was synonymous with the NT.

“You’ll find it’s one of the more iconic fish, more so than snapper or anything else in the area, it’s one of the best fish we have up here,” he said.

“It’s great to have so many options, we know the owners of the Humpty Doo barramundi farm well so we have barramundi all the time, it’s the freshest in Darwin and it’s the freshest you’ll find across Australia.”

As tourists visit the NT for its barramundi, either to eat it or attempt the catch of a lifetime, Mr Fiske said Territorians should enjoy barramundi on National Barramundi Day on Friday more so than any other day given the quality and freshness of the product.

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“(People should celebrate) by going to a nice restaurant and eating a good barramundi dish,” he said..

“It’s an iconic fish of the area. We have wild caught saltwater barramundi which, for us, is one of the best (meals) we have in the restaurant.”