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Description: Sablefish is a sleek finfish with
dark, almost furry skin and pearly white flesh.
This species grows quickly with mature females
reaching a minimum length of 55 cm (211/2 inches) and an average length of 80 cm (311/2 inches).
Most commercially caught fish average between
2.7 kg (6 lbs) and 5.4 kg (12 lbs).
The flesh of sablefish has large velvety flakes and
a sweet, rich flavour. Smoked sablefish has a nutty
flavour and is a favourite with smoked-fish
connoisseurs around the world. Its unique texture
and taste are a result of its high oil content.
Product Forms: Unsmoked sablefish is
available fresh and frozen-at-sea (FAS). In this
form, sablefish is usually sold as "J" cut (head and collar off with bellyflap intact), although a growing North American market has increased demand for headed and gutted fish with collars on. Pinbonein or pinbone out fillets and steaks are also readily available.
Smoked sablefish is normally hot-smoked and
requires additional cooking. It is available in sides and portions.
Smoked and unsmoked collars are also available.
Availability: Fresh, frozen and smoked
sablefish is available year round.
Buying Tips: When buying sablefish avoid fish
with belly burns and soft, dried out flesh. The
flesh should be firm and elastic, and the skin bright, supple and not discoloured. The meat colour of unsmoked sablefish should be pearly white while
the meat colour of smoked sablefish should be
golden-yellow. The larger the fish, the better the
texture and flavour of the meat.
Storing Tips: Fresh sablefish can be stored for
5 to 7 days if it's chilled immediately after being
caught and then held at 0°C (32°F). Frozen sablefish should be stored at -37° C
(-35° F) and will keep for 6 to 8 months.
Preparation/Usage: Thaw frozen sablefish
in a refrigerated environment to avoid the meat
becoming dry and mushy.
Sablefish gets its unique taste and texture from
the high oil content which makes unsmoked
product ideal for fast, high-heat cooking methods,
especially grilling, roasting, broiling and pansearing.
It can however also stand up to long, slow preparations
such as braising without losing its texture.
As a result, its flaky, pure white,
richtasting flesh is favoured by Western
and Asian cooks alike.
Depending on the cure, some chefs soak smoked
sablefish in milk before finishing by grilling, baking or steaming, although this is not necessary for lightly smoked product. Smoked sablefish
trimmings also make excellent dips, mousses and
fillings.
Area of Origin and Range of Availability:
Sablefish are found at depths from 200 metres
(656 feet) to greater than 1,500 metres (4,921 feet)
off the west coast from the Bering Sea to Baja
California to Japan.
In British Columbia, this species is found along the
northwest coast of Vancouver Island up to the
northwest coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands.
Harvest Volume: British Columbia produces
about 2,500 tonnes to 4,000 tonnes annually.
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Harvest Method:
Nearly all sablefish are
harvested live in traps, a method proven to be best
in preserving quality and freshness. The use of traps
also virtually eliminates any bycatch and avoids
juvenile fish. A small portion of the harvest is caught
by long-line.
Processing Method: Sablefish are brought live
into the boat where they are bled, cleaned and frozen
on-board within minutes. Experiments have proven
that bleeding fish which have been landed live is the
most successful method of eliminating bruising and
preserving taste and texture. Frozen-at-sea (FAS)
sablefish is generally considered superior to fresh.
Markets: Increasingly available in domestic
markets, it is traditionally and primarily exported to
Japan. Sales to Hong Kong, Singapore and the United
States have recently increased.
Sustainability: Sablefish is harvested under an
individual vessel quota (IVQ) system to ensure
sustainable harvests and a stable supply. Members
of the Canadian Sablefish Association co-manage
the industry with the Department of Fisheries and
Oceans to research stocks, set harvest levels, and
monitor and enforce total allowable catches. As well,
the industry’s use of selective harvesting methods
avoids the catch of juvenile fish.
Historical and Anecdotal Information:
Sablefish were first harvested as bycatch of domestic
groundfish fisheries where much of the catch was
either discarded or sold for very low prices. When
Canada extended its fishing boundaries to the 200-
mile limit in 1977, Japanese distant-water vessels
were no longer able to harvest sablefish in Canadian
waters, creating a market opportunity for Canadian
fishermen.
Increased demand and escalating fishing efforts in
the early 1980s led Fisheries and Oceans Canada to
limit entry to a set number of license holders who
competed for a total allowable catch (TAC).
Concerned with long-term resource sustainability,
Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian
Sablefish Association implemented an individual
vessel quota (IVQ), a year round fishing system,
in 1990.
| NUTRITIONAL
INFORMATION |
| Per
3.5 oz/100 grams of raw edible portion |
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| Calories |
195 |
| Total
fat |
15.3
g |
| Saturated
fat |
3.2
g |
| Protein |
13.4
g |
| Cholesterol |
49.0
mg |
| Sodium |
56.0
mg |
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Source: USDA |
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