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Alaska Whitefish | Harvesting | Resource Management | Processing | Buying Tips
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Buying Tips
Important considerations for buyers of Alaska Whitefish include product forms, packaging, and quality and purity. This buyer’s guide provides general information on these topics. Buyers are encouraged to discuss specific details with their supplier.
Product Forms
Block
Shatterpack
Individually Quick Frozen (IQF)
Layerpack
Alaska Pollock
Alaska Pollock is available in a variety of fresh and frozen products:
Pollock Product |
Package Style |
Net Weight
(lbs) |
Metric Weight
(kg) |
Headed & gutted |
box |
50 |
22.7 |
Headed & gutted |
box |
80 |
36.4 |
Skinless boneless fillets |
block |
16.5 |
7.5 |
Skinless boneless fillets |
individually quick-frozen (IQF) |
10 |
4.6 |
Skinless boneless fillets |
individually quick-frozen |
15 |
6.8 |
Skinless boneless fillets |
individually quick-frozen |
25 |
11.4 |
Skinless boneless fillets |
shatterpack |
10 |
4.6 |
Skinless boneless fillets |
shatterpack |
15 |
6.8 |
Skinless boneless fillets |
shatterpack |
25 |
11.4 |
Mince |
block |
16.5 |
7.5 |
Surimi |
block |
22 |
10.0 |
Individual pollock fillets are available in a variety of sizes:
Net Weight (oz) |
Metric Weight (g) |
2-4 |
57-114 |
4-6 |
114-171 |
6-8 |
171-228 |
8-12 |
228-342 |
Pacific Cod
In addition to H&G, Pacific cod are available in fresh and frozen forms:
Cod Product |
Package Style |
Net Weight
(lb) |
Metric Weight
(kg) |
Fresh fillet |
poly bag |
5 |
2.3 |
Fresh fillet |
poly bag |
10 |
4.6 |
Fresh fillet |
poly bag |
15 |
6.8 |
Fresh fillet |
plastic box |
10 |
4.6 |
Fresh fillet |
plastic box |
12 |
5.5 |
Fresh fillet |
plastic box |
20 |
9.1 |
Frozen fillet |
layerpack or shatterpack |
15 |
6.8 |
Frozen fillet |
block |
16.5 |
7.5 |
Mince |
block |
16.5 |
7.5 |
Individual cod fillets are available in a range of sizes:
Net Weight (oz) |
Metric Weight (g) |
4-8 |
114-228 |
8-16 |
228-456 |
16-24 |
456-684 |
24-32 |
684-912 |
32-up |
912-up |
“Deep-skinned” fillets of pollock and cod have been trimmed to remove the darker, higher-fat tissue just under the skin.
In addition to the products based on their meat, pollock and cod are also used to produce a variety of other products. The most valuable of these is roe, but the milt and stomachs of both species are also used. Pollock viscera and trimmings (belly meat) are sold, while other cod-based products include livers, heads, and tongues.
Sablefish
Fresh and frozen H&G sablefish are produced with split or unsplit bellies, and with the “collar” on or off (Western or Eastern cut):
Sablefish product |
Package style |
Net Weight
(lb) |
Metric Weight
(lb) |
Headed & Gutted |
box |
50 |
22.7 |
Headed & Gutted |
box |
80 |
36.4 |
Fresh fillet |
poly bag or plastic box |
10 |
4.6 |
Frozen fillet |
IQF or layerpack |
10 |
4.6 |
Frozen fillet |
IQF or layerpack |
25 |
11.4 |
Headed-and-gutted sablefish are available in several sizes:
Net Weight (lb) |
Metric Weight (kg) |
under 2 |
under 0.9 |
2-3 |
0.9-1.4 |
3-4 |
1.4-1.8 |
4-5 |
1.8-2.3 |
5-7 |
2.3-3.2 |
7-up |
3.2-up |
Pacific Halibut
Halibut are produced in H&G, fillet, steak, and fletch (split body-length fillet) forms. Fillets and fletches can be skin-on or skinless. Halibut “cheeks” are the portions of meat adjacent to the operculum or gill cover and are usually frozen in 5-lb blocks.
H&G halibut are available in several sizes:
Fish Weight (lb) |
Metric Weight (kg) |
10-20 |
4.6-9.1 |
20-40 |
9.1-18.2 |
40-60 |
18.2-27.3 |
60-80 |
27.3-36.4 |
80-100 |
36.4-45.5 |
100-up |
45.5-up |
H&G halibut are packed in cartons and totes:
|
Net Weight (lb) |
Metric Weight (kg) |
carton |
100 |
45.4 |
carton |
150 |
68.2 |
tote |
1,000 |
454.6 |
Halibut fletches are available in a variety of sizes, glazed and packed in 50-lb (22.73-kg) cartons:
Net Weight (lb) |
Metric Weight (kg) |
1-3 |
0.5-1.4 |
3-5 |
1.4-2.3 |
5-7 |
2.23-3.12 |
7-up |
3.2-up |
Halibut fillets and steaks are available in several sizes, packed in 10- or 20-lb (4.55- or 9.09-kg) cartons:
Net Weight (oz) |
Metric Weight (g) |
4 |
114 |
6 |
171 |
8 |
228 |
10 |
285 |
Sole
All five species of sole are available in H&G and fillet products. Both skin-on or skinless fillets are available. Rock sole are sometimes available in frozen H&G form with roe.
Sole Product Net Weight (lb) Metric Weight (kg)
Fresh fillet 10 4.6
IQF fillet 10 4.6
IQF fillet 25 11.4
Layerpack 5 2.3
Layerpack 10 4.6
Layerpack 15 6.8
Fillet block 16.5 7.5
Sole Product |
Net Weight (lb) |
Metric Weight (kg) |
Fresh fillet |
10 |
4.6 |
IQF fillet |
10 |
4.6 |
IQF fillet |
25 |
11.4 |
Layerpack |
5 |
2.3 |
Layerpack |
10 |
4.6 |
Layerpack |
15 |
6.8 |
Fillet block |
16.5 |
7.5 |
All Alaska whitefish products are shipped out of Alaska quickly to large domestic and international markets —
- Both block and IQF pollock fillets are consumed in the U.S., but a significant portion is shipped to Europe.
- Most pollock surimi and roe is eaten by customers in Japan, but an increasing amount is sold in Europe.
- Pacific cod products are sold mostly in the U.S. and in Japan. Other markets include Canada, Korea,and Europe.
- Most halibut is shipped to the United States and Canada.
- Most sablefish is sold in Japan.
Alaska sole serve a truly global market, including USA, China, Japan, and Europe.
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