Kingklip (Genypterus capensis)

Description
Kingklip (Genypterus capensis) is a valuable fish resource in southern African waters, with a wide geographic distribution spanning South Africa and Namibia. It has a long, tapered body, with mottled orangey-pink skin and small scales. The maximum recorded length is 1.8 m and maximum recorded weight 15 kg.

Origin
Woolworths' kingklip is caught as incidental bycatch in the well-managed hake-directed demersal trawl and longline fisheries in South Africa.

Attributes
Kingklip has a mild flavour, low oiliness and moist, firm flesh, with dense, large flakes. Kingklip is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B6 and B12 and minerals, including calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium and potassium.

Cooking
Kingklip is a South African favourite that can be cooked in many ways, including baked, fried, braaied, steamed and poached. Its firm flesh holds up well in casseroles and it pairs well with fresh herbs and winter vegetables.

Sustainability

The South African kingklip resource is considered to be at near optimal levels and is one of several bycatch species included in a fisheries improvement project (FIP) implemented by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 2022. A precautionary upper catch limit has been set for kingklip by the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries.

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