Alaska Pollock is a member of the cod family and shares many of its attributes: a firm texture, mild flavor and snow-white fillets.

• It is harvested by vessels processing at-sea and by catcher boats which deliver fish to at-sea or onshore processors. The fish are cleaned, filleted and frozen within hours.
• Most of the harvest is used in fish sandwiches/fish & chips or Surimi Seafood, although boneless, skinless fillets are also available in the marketplace.

Alaska Pollock should not be confused with Atlantic Pollack, Pollachius virens, which is darker and oilier with a 'fishier' flavor, or with Russian Pollock, which is harvested under a different management system. Always inquire about the source of fish to ensure you are buying genuine Alaska Pollock.

The Alaska Pollock fishery is, by volume, the largest fishery in the United States and the second largest fishery in the world.

• The catch has averaged about 1.15 million tons per year since 1977.

Those responsible for managing the Alaska Pollock resource are dedicated to ensuring this versatile, wild seafood will be available for generations to come. Their efforts to keep the resource sustainable and healthy are being rewarded: the Marine Stewardship Council just recognized the Alaska Pollock Fishery as managed to ensure sustainability of stocks and the marine environment.