Common Name	Atlantic Pollock	Conservation Notes
Scientific Name	Pollachius virens	Sustainability Information
Market Names	Pollock, Saithe, Boston Bluefish	Buying Tips
Sushi Name	N/A	Health/Nutrition

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ATLANTIC POLLOCK MARKET ALERT - update July 2011

The price of fresh Atlantic pollock, a.k.a. Boston bluefish, took its usual June swoon after the May 1 start of the new fishing year in New England. The price of fresh fillets on New York’s Fulton Fish Market fell from $4.50/lb. in May to about $2.75/lb. in late June. That’s an annual occurrence, as landings peak, overwhelming the established fresh markets. 

This year’s Atlantic pollock quota is about 14,000 metric tons, down from last year’s quota of 16,500 metric tons. In the world of New England’s heavily regulated mixed species fishery, however, fishermen do not always catch all the fish biologists say they can. That’s because they can be shut down when the quota of more valuable fish like cod are reached. Last year, for example, New England fishermen caught only 34% of their pollock quota. Under the new sector allocation management scheme now in place, fishermen can trade quota, so this year more of the pollock quota may be landed.

Supplies of frozen Atlantic pollock fillets are running about the same, as last year due to an increase of twice-frozen fillets from China, which offset a sharp decline in U.S. imports of single-frozen Atlantic pollock fillets from Iceland. Through the end of April, the U.S. imported about 2,250 metric tons of frozen Atlantic pollock fillets, 90% of which was reprocessed in China. The average imported price dropped from $1.54/lb. last year to $1.35/lb. this year. 

Conservation Notes

Advantages: Atlantic pollock matures quickly and has high reproduction rates, which are life characteristics that make its vulnerability to fishing pressure low. Although the Canadian pollock fishery was historically overfished, it is currently recovering. In the United States the Atlantic pollock fishery is rather small but considered healthy. Norwegian pollock stocks are also stable and healthy. The gear used varies by region, but the purse seines used in the Norwegian fishery are less destructive than other methods used, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.

Challenges: Atlantic pollock is not nearly as abundant as Alaskan pollock, which is actually a different species. In Iceland, overfishing is occurring and the Atlantic pollock stock status is poor, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program. Bottom gillnets used to catch pollock can ensnare protected marine animals, and lost gillnets in the eastern Atlantic have entangled non-targeted fish long after they’ve been abandoned. Bottom trawls, otter trawls, and Danish seines are also methods used to catch Atlantic pollock. These gear types can heavily impact the seafloor, damaging ocean habitat, according to the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service and the Environmental Defense Fund.

Sustainability Information

	Seafood Watch	SeaChoice	FishWise	Blue Ocean Institute	New England Aquarium	Marine Stewardship Council
U.S. Gillnet & Bottom Trawl	Good Alternative	Some Concerns	Good Alternative	Green
Canada Gillnet & Bottom Trawl	Good Alternative	Some Concerns	Good Alternative	Green
Northeast Arctic Gillnet & Purse Seine	Best Choice	Best Choice	Best Choice	Green
Northeast Arctic Danish Seine & Bottom Trawl	Good Alternative	Some Concerns	Good Alternative	Green
Iceland Gillnet	Good Alternative	Some Concerns	Good Alternative	Green
Iceland Trawl & Danish Seine	Avoid	Avoid	Avoid	Green
North Sea Trawl, Seine				Green		Certified*

Rating Explanation

Seafood Watch and Blue Ocean Institute's ratings are different by geographic and/or fishing method scope. Seafood Watch evaluates Atlantic pollock fisheries by several different geographies and fishing methods whereas Blue Ocean Institute has a single assessment for Atlantic pollock across all regions and all gear types.

Buying Tips

• Atlantic pollock is low in saturated fat and is an excellent source of protein, vitamin B12, phosphorus, and selenium
• The flesh is firm and white, and has a sweet, delicate flavor
• This pollock is a member of the cod family but distinguished from cod by its greenish hue, paler belly, and brownish green back
• Atlantic pollock are larger, slightly darker flesh, and have higher oil content than Alaskan pollock, which is actually a different species
• It is sold whole, in fillets, and steaks that are fresh, frozen, or smoked

Nutrition and Health

Acknowledgements

• Seafood Watch by Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Blue Ocean Institute
• SeaChoice
• Seafood Choices Alliance
• Environmental Defense Fund
• NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service