Milkfish, Chanos chanos Forskal, are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas of the Pacific and the Indian oceans. Their geographical distribution ranges from 40°E to about 100°W, and 30-40°N to 30-40°S. They are found in warm offshore waters of the Red Sea; the Indian Ocean from east Africa to the south and west coasts of India, the coasts of Ceylon, Malaya, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan; and the Pacific Ocean from southern Japan to Australia in the west and from south of San Francisco to southern Mexico in the east.