Species sheet · The Edible Ocean
European sea bass
The coastal elegant, between rocks and estuaries.
- Grilled in the oven or on the barbecue
- Baked en papillote with herbs
- Pan-seared, skin-side first
- In French
- Bar
- Scientific name
- Dicentrarchus labrax
- In the water
- A fish of rocky coasts and estuaries in the north-east Atlantic and Mediterranean, from 10 to 100 m deep.
- Season & buying
- From spring to autumn depending on the region; line-caught sea bass is often plumper and tastier.
- Common length
- ~50 cm
- How to identify it
- Elongated streamlined body
Blue-grey back, silvery flanks
Single dorsal fin with well-marked spines
On the plate
White, firm and delicate flesh with a fine, slightly briny flavour.
Avoid: Overcooking it: the flesh dries out and loses its characteristic tenderness.
Sea bass can tolerate both fresh and salt water: larger specimens often live near river mouths.
In Umay recipes
2 Umay recipes call for it.
