Alaska pollock or walleye pollock is a species of the cod family Gadidae.
Alaska pollock is a semipelagic schooling fish widely distributed in the North Pacific
with largest concentrations found in the eastern Bering Sea.
While related to the common Atlantic pollock species of the same family, the Alaska pollock
is not a member of the same Pollachius genus.
Rather, recent research suggests that it is more closely related to Atlantic cod, and
that Alaska pollock should be moved back to genus Gadus in which it was originally described
as Gadus chalcogrammus.
Furthermore, Norwegian pollock, a rare fish of Norwegian waters, is likely the same species
as the Alaska pollock.
Ecology and behaviour The speckled colouring of Alaska pollock makes
it more difficult for predators to see them when they are near sandy ocean floors.
They are a relatively fast growing and short-lived species, currently representing a major biological
component of the Bering Sea ecosystem.
It has been found that catches of Alaska pollock go up three years after stormy summers.
The storms stir up nutrients, and this results in phytoplankton being plentiful for longer,
which in turn allows more pollock hatchlings to survive.
Alaska pollock has well-developed drumming muscles that the fish use to produce sounds
during courtship like many other gadids.
Fisheries
The Alaska pollock has been said to be "the largest remaining source of palatable fish
in the world."
Around 3 million tons of Alaska pollock are caught each year in the North Pacific from
Alaska to northern Japan.
Alaska pollock is the world's second most important fish species in terms of total catch.
Alaska pollock catches from U.S. fisheries have been quite consistent at about 1.5 million
tons a year, almost all of it from the Bering Sea.
Information on the current stock status for Alaska groundfish is updated annually, whereas
the specific 2007 pollock assessment is also available.
The Alaska pollock landings are the largest of any single fish species in the U.S.
However, in each of the last three years, the pollock population has declined; in 2008,
it fell 38 percent and it was worried that the 2008 pollock catch will be the lowest
in 30 years.
Although the fishery has been hailed as an example of good management, and the Marine
Stewardship Council declared it "sustainable", Greenpeace has criticized its management for
many years and placed pollock on its international "red list" of endangered fish.
In response to the new data, Greenpeace called for 2009 catch levels to be reduced to half
those of 2008 to avoid further long-term declines.
This decline has led some scientists to worry that Alaska pollock could be about to repeat
the kind of collapse experienced by Atlantic cod, which could have negative consequences
for the world food supply and the entire Bering Sea ecosystem.
Halibut, salmon, endangered Steller sea lions, fur seals, and humpback whales all eat pollock
and rely on healthy populations to sustain themselves.
As food Compared with pollock, Alaska pollock has
a milder taste, whiter color and lower oil content.
High quality, single frozen whole Alaska pollock fillets may be layered into a block mold and
deep frozen to produce fish blocks that are used throughout Europe and North America as
the raw material for high quality breaded and battered fish products.
Lower quality, double-frozen fillets or minced trim pieces may also be frozen in block forms
and used as raw material for lower quality, low-cost breaded and battered fish sticks,
portions, etc.
Single frozen Alaska pollock is considered to be the premier raw material for surimi;
the most common use of surimi in the United States is "imitation crabmeat".
It is the main ingredient in the surimi-based sandwich product called "Seafood Sensation"
sold by the Subway fast-food chain.
Alaska pollock is commonly used in the fast food industry, for example the Filet-O-Fish
sandwich and Fish McBites at McDonald's.
It is also used by Dairy Queen, Arby's, Long John Silvers, Carl's Jr., Birds Eye and Burger
King.
Salted or smoked pollock roe is widely used in Japanese and Russian cuisines as well.
References
External links NOAA NMFS: U.S. Seafood Facts
FISHINFOnetwork Market Report 04/07 Dominic's Pacific Seafood
FishBase: Alaska Pollock Alaska pollock-Theragra chalcogramma fishery
profiles Status of these fisheries, summarised on FisheriesWiki