| Pollock | |
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Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Gadiformes |
| Family: | Gadidae |
| Genus: | Pollachius Nilsson, 1832 |
| Type species | |
| Pollachius pollachius Nilsson, 1832 (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Synonyms | |
AsellusMinding, 1832 | |
Pollock orpollack[1] (pronounced/ˈpɒlək/) is the common name used for either of the twospecies ofNorth Atlanticmarinefish in thegenusPollachius.Pollachius pollachius is referred to as "pollock" inNorth America,Ireland and theUnited Kingdom, whilePollachius virens is usually known assaithe orcoley inGreat Britain andIreland (derived from the older namecoalfish).[2] Other names forP. pollachius include theAtlantic pollock,European pollock,lieu jaune, andlythe orlithe;[3] whileP. virens is also known asBoston blue (distinct frombluefish),silver bill, orsaithe.
The recognized species in this genus are:[4]
Both species can grow to 130 centimetres (4 feet 3 inches).[5]P. virens can weigh up to 32 kilograms (71 pounds)[6] andP. pollachius can weigh up to 18 kilograms (40 pounds).[5]P. virens has a strongly defined, silverylateral line running down the sides. Above the lateral line, the colour is a greenish black. The belly is white, whileP. pollachius has a distinctly crooked lateral line, grayish to golden belly, and a dark brown back.P. pollachius also has a strong underbite. It can be found in water up to 180 metres (600 feet; 100 fathoms) deep over rocks and anywhere in thewater column.
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| Commercial fish |
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| Large predatory |
| Forage |
| Demersal |
| Mixed |
Atlantic pollock is largely considered to be awhitefish. Traditionally a popular source of food in some countries, such asNorway, in the United Kingdom it has previously been largely consumed as a cheaper and versatile alternative tocod andhaddock. However, in recent years,[when?] pollock has become more popular due to overfishing ofcod and haddock. It can now be found in most supermarkets as fresh fillets or prepared freezer items. For example, it is used minced infish fingers or as an ingredient inimitation crab meat and is commonly used to makefish and chips.
Because of its slightly grey colour, pollock[which?] is often prepared, as in Norway, as friedfish balls, or if juvenile-sized, breaded withoatmeal and fried, as inShetland. Year-old fish are traditionally split, salted, and dried over a peat hearth inOrkney, where their texture becomes wooden.[clarification needed] Coalfish can also be salted and smoked and achieve asalmon-like orange color (although it is not closely related to the salmon), as is the case in Germany, where the fish is commonly sold asSeelachs or sea salmon.[citation needed]
In 2009, UK supermarketSainsbury's briefly renamed Atlantic pollock "colin" in a bid to boost ecofriendly sales of the fish as an alternative to cod.[8] Sainsbury's, which said the new name was derived from the French for cooked pollock (colin), launched the product under the banner "Colin and chips can save British cod."
Pollock is regarded as a "low-mercury fish" – a woman weighing 60 kg (130 lb) can safely eat up to 510 g (18 oz) per week, and a child weighing 20 kg (44 lb) can safely eat up to 170 g (6 oz).[9]
One member of the genusGadus is also commonly referred to as pollock: theAlaska pollock or walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus), including the form known as theNorway pollock. They are also members of thefamilyGadidae but not members of the genusPollachius.
[...] Nature [...] pours myriads of coal-fish and pollocks into every creek or bay [...]. [...] The latter fish, under the Linnean appellation ofGadus Pollachus, is called generally, 'the Lithe.' [...] To the ferocity of a bull-dog the lithe unites the greyhound's agility. [...] Lithe-fishing demands coarse tackle [...].
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