Preheat the oven to 425F. Place the sea bass on a rack in a roasting pan and pour the olive oil over it. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350F and bake for another 45-50 minutes, until the fish flakes easily when poked with a fork. Scrape several sprigs of thyme into a bowl to obtain 1 tablespoon of thyme leaves. Pour the Pernod into the bowl. Remove the fish from the oven and stir a bunch of the thyme into the roasting pan. Heat the Pernod soaked thyme in a small saucepan over low heat and light it with a match, then pour over the sea bass. Serve immediately.
