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Description: Halibut is a finfish that is a
member of the flounder family. Related to flatfish,
the halibut has a flat body with eyes on the right
side. The skin on the top side is mottled to blend
into the ocean floor and can be olive green, brown
or almost black in colour depending on where the
fish was caught. The underside is snow white. It
is the largest of all flatfish and can grow to a length
of 2.5 metres (8 feet) to 3 metres (10 feet) and
weigh up to 272 kg (600 lbs).
Fresh halibut meat is sparkling white and firm. It
is a lean, mild tasting fish whose firm meat holds
together well. Halibut cheeks are more tender in
texture.
Product Forms: Halibut is available fresh or
frozen as a whole fish (headed and gutted), fillets
(boneless), steaks (bone-in) or boneless roasts
which can weigh up to 3.5 kgs (8 lbs) to 4.5 kgs
(10 lbs). Halibut cheeks are also available.
Availability: Fresh halibut is available
throughout the commercial fishing season which
takes place from the middle of March to the middle
of November. Frozen halibut is available year
round.
Buying Tips: When buying halibut, look for
meat that is sparkling white, almost translucent
and firm. It should not be dull, milky, opaque,
blotchy, yellowish or dried-out in appearance.
Carefully frozen halibut, when thawed and
portioned, should have the same translucent
appearance as fresh halibut.
Storing Tips: Fresh halibut should be kept
chilled to 0¢ª C (32° F) and frozen halibut should be
stored at about -29° C (-20° F).
Preparation/Usage: With a mild flavour and
firm flesh, halibut adapts well to baking, broiling,
frying, poaching or barbecuing and is compatible
with any number of flavour accents and sauces.
With a low oil content, it will dry out easily if
overcooked. Therefore, cook halibut for 10 minutes
per 2.5 cm (1 inch) of thickness or until the flesh
loses its glossy appearance and flakes easily when
pressed with a fork.
Area of Origin and Range of Availability:
Halibut is found along the North American coast
from Santa Barbara, California to Nome, Alaska
and also along the Asiatic coast from the Gulf of
Anadyr, Russia to Hokkaido, Japan.
Harvest Volume: Between 4,400 and 5,800
metric tonnes of halibut are harvested annually
in British Columbia.
Harvest Method: Halibut is harvested with
longline gear. In longline fishing, a vessel lays out a
long fishing line which is anchored to the bottom of
the ocean at each end. The ends are marked with
buoys and floats. Several baited hooks are attached
to this line at regular intervals.
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Processing Method: Once the fish are caught
with longline gear, they are then stunned and bled
on the vessel. The cavities are iced, the fish are layer-iced
and delivered to the processing plant. At the
processing plant, the head is removed and the fish
is either left whole or processed into steaks, fillets
and roasts. The cheeks are also removed and sold
separately.
Markets: Approximately 95% of Pacific halibut
from British Columbia is exported with 90% being
sold to the United States and the balance of that
being sold to European markets.
Sustainability: The Pacific halibut catch is
controlled by an international agreement regulated
by the International Halibut Commission of the United
States and Canada. The commercial fishery is tightly
controlled as evidenced by the fact that: individual
vessel quota management was introduced in 1991;
all halibut removals by the commercial fleet are
accounted for and included in stock assessments;
logbooks are required; commercial halibut landings
are only permitted at designated ports; fishermen
fund an independent, dockside monitoring program
where every landed halibut is validated, weighed
and tagged with a unique serial number by a third
party contractor; an at-sea monitoring program has
been implemented, and; the fleet is working with
Fisheries and Oceans Canada to address incidental
catch of rockfish in the halibut fishery and ensure
that seabirds are avoided.
Historical and Anecdotal Information:
Pacific halibut has been harvested in North America
since the 1880s. As the largest of the flatfish, the
large size of the Pacific halibut is its most
distinguishing characteristic. Accordingly, the Latin
name for Pacific halibut translates as “Hippo of the
Sea”. The English name is derived from “Holy
flatfish” - “hali” for holy and “but” for flat – as it was
a special fish served on holy days or “holidays” in
Medieval England.
| NUTRITIONAL
INFORMATION |
| Per
3.5 oz/100 grams of raw edible portion |
 |
| Calories |
110 |
| Total
fat |
2.29
g |
| Saturated
fat |
0.33
g |
| Protein |
20.8
g |
| Cholesterol |
32.0
mg |
| Sodium |
54.0
mg |
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Source: USDA |
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For Additional Information And A List
Of Current Product Suppliers, Contact:
| Pacific Halibut Management Association of BC
112 – 9202 Horne Street,
Burnaby, British Columbia,
Canada V3N 4K2
Phone: 604.415.2491
Fax: 604.648.8737
email: phma@telus.net |
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