Scientific name
Epinephelus aeneus
Also known as
White grouper, mérou blanc, thiof, mero
Main origins
Senegal, Mauritania, Gambia
Availability
Year round, limited volumes
Overview
About Thiof (White Grouper)
Epinephelus aeneus is a large grouper of rocky and sandy shelf bottoms in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, most important off Senegal. Its flesh is white, firm and lean with large flakes and a clean, delicate flavour.
Most catches come from Senegalese line and artisanal fisheries, with some trawl bycatch, and are sold fresh in Dakar or exported to European restaurant and retail buyers. It is valued for grilling and baking and is the classic fish in thieboudienne.
Key points
- Premium white fleshed grouper
- Fresh by air or frozen
- Whole gutted or fillets
- Limited, quality driven supply
Origins
Where it comes from
Senegal
Hand line and artisanal fleets from Dakar, Kayar and the Petite Côte land most thiof for fresh export.
Mauritania
Caught by artisanal and coastal fleets and sold fresh and frozen.
Gambia
Small artisanal catches, mainly for regional markets.
Available origins vary through the year. Contact us for current availability.
Specifications
Available formats
| Product forms | Whole gutted fresh, whole round frozen, fillets, steaks |
| Sizes (kg per fish) | Graded by kg per fish, bands confirmed per offer |
| Freezing | Fresh on ice; frozen IQF or IWP |
| Packing | Fresh in 10 to 20 kg polystyrene boxes with ice; frozen in cartons |
| Availability | Year round, volumes limited |
| Certifications | EU approved plants, HACCP; health certificates per shipment |
Senegalese thiof stocks are assessed as overexploited and IUCN lists the species as Near Threatened; minimum sizes apply and volumes are limited. Specifications are typical for the trade and vary by origin and supplier. We source to your exact requirements.
Interested in Thiof (White Grouper)?
Send us your specification, volumes and destination and we will come back to you with suitable offers.