All speciesReef royalty

Coral Trout

The most prized reef fish in Australian waters — line-caught on the Great Barrier Reef. A staple of premium Asian export markets and high-end Australian restaurants.

Plectropomus leopardus
Flavour: Firm, white, sweet-mild — the premium reef fish

Four reasons to choose local

Health

  • Line-caught, no chemical exposure
  • Pristine GBR waters with strict pollution controls
  • Premium-grade lean protein

Economy

  • Cornerstone of Cairns, Mackay, and Townsville fleets
  • Major export to Hong Kong premium markets
  • Reef Line Fishery is QLD's most valuable

Environment

  • Line-caught only — no nets, no trawling near reefs
  • Highly regulated within Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
  • ITQ quota, size limits, and seasonal closures

Taste

  • Considered the world's finest reef table fish
  • Iconic Cantonese steamed presentation
  • Premium pan-roast or whole-fish work equally

Sourcing

Coral Trout is exclusively wild-caught.

Where it comes from

Coral Trout is most strongly associated with these 4 Australian regions:

Nutrition (per 100g)

How Coral Trout compares to imported equivalents on the headline nutrients consumers care about.

Protein23.1g20.4g
Selenium51µg34µg
Iodine36µg22µg
Omega-3 Fatty Acids380mg220mg
Vitamin B122.6µg1.7µg

Seasonality

When to enjoy Coral Trout at its peak.

Janavailable
Febavailable
Maravailable
Apravailable
Mayavailable
Junavailable
Julavailable
Augavailable
Sepavailable
Octavailable
Novavailable
Decavailable
Peak Good Available Off-season

How to cook it

Four go-to preparations for Coral Trout that respect the fish — short cooks, clean flavours, no over-doing it.

Steamed (Cantonese)

Whole fish, ginger + spring onion, soy + hot oil.

Pan-roast (skin on)

Score skin, 5 min skin side, finish in oven 4 min.

Whole BBQ

Stuffed with lemongrass, banana leaf wrap, hot grill 8 min each side.

Sashimi

Premium fillets only — slice thin, ponzu + grated daikon.

Australian vs imported — at a glance

Line-caught Coral Trout from the Great Barrier Reef vs imported grouper/reef fish, sometimes cyanide-caught.

Australia
Coral Trout (GBR)
Queensland
🇦🇺 Local
Catch methodLine-only
MercuryLow
Marine park protectionGBR Marine Park
Stock statusQuota-managed
Price per kg (fillet)~$80
Overall rating: Australian Coral Trout scores 9.5/10 — premium reef fish under world-class management.
vs
SE Asia
Imported Reef Fish
Indonesia / Philippines
Catch methodCyanide / dynamite reported
MercuryVariable
Marine park protectionVariable
Stock statusOften unregulated
Price per kg (fillet)~$45
Overall rating: Imported reef fish scores 4.2/10 — environmental and food-safety concerns.

Read the full comparison →

The risks of the imported version

Typically imported from: Indonesia, Philippines, Solomon Islands — sometimes cyanide-caught

  • Cyanide fishing remains documented in parts of SE Asia
  • Reef destruction with dynamite or aquarium-trade methods
  • Mislabelling — ‘coral trout’ is sometimes other grouper species

See the full case against imported seafood →

How to buy it

🔍
Look for:

Ask for "Australian Coral Trout from the Great Barrier Reef" — check origin papers if buying premium.

From 1 July 2026, every restaurant menu in Australia must show A (Australian), I (Imported), or M (Mixed) for each seafood dish. Read the law →

Sources for this page

  1. Status of Australian Fish Stocks Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (2024)
  2. Greenpeace / EJF cyanide fishing reports Greenpeace / Environmental Justice Foundation