One of the Northeast's Most Abundant Bottom Fish gets Rebranded

Introducing the "Golden Sea Bream"

By Jimmy FeeJune 10, 2026

Would a scup by any other name, taste as sweet?

As of this spring, the mighty scup will be joining such esteemed species as monkfish (nee goosefish), Chesapeake channa (nee northern snakehead), and the Chilean sea bass (nee Patagonian toothfish) as a rebranded seafood.

In May, the Food and Drug Administration approved a bill that would allow fishmongers to market Stenotomus chrysops (a.k.a. porgy, a.k.a. scup) as “golden sea bream.” The idea, I think, is that a more appetizing name would increase interest among seafood buyers.

Whether this rebrand results in more scup sales remains to be seen, but Northeast fishermen have never needed a fancy name to appreciate this fish. Whatever you call them, scup, porgy, or golden sea bream, they are great eating, fun to catch, and an essential part of every summer fishing season.

Here’s some of our most popular content on the Golden Sea Bream:

Platter-Sized Porgies in Peconic Bay

Brave the bustling New York boat traffic for big and hungry porgies in Peconic Bay this spring.

The Scup Slinger

Last spring, I arrived at a unique and explosive intersection of my passions.

Use Blade Baits to Catch More Porgies

Downsize your tackle and fish blade baits for porgies to better enjoy their hard-fighting nature in shallow-water settings.

Jimmy Fee

Jimmy Fee is the Editor of On The Water and a lifelong surfcaster. He grew up fishing the bridges and beaches of Southern New Jersey before moving to Cape Cod in his early 20s. He's pursued striped bass from North Carolina to Massachusetts. He began with On The Water in 2008, and since then has covered a variety of Northeast fisheries from small pond panfish to bluewater billfish in the through writing, video, and podcasting.