Pollock

The journey of a Pollock from the sea to the dinner plate is no mean feat! It starts in the depths of the ocean and ends on somebody’s dinner plate. As a consumer, you may not appreciate the complexity and labour of hard work that goes into making sure your seafood is of the highest quality and safe for consumption. Therefore, let us take a fascinating journey of the Pollock and unravel the science and technology behind it, in order to better understand the environment it lives in, and to learn more about the seafood industry from a practical viewpoint.

What Is a Pollock?

The Pollock, or Alaska Pollock as it is sometimes called, is a long-living, common species of fish that can be found in the northern Pacific Ocean. It is a member of the cod family, Gadidae, and is closely related to the Atlantic Pollock. The Alaska Pollock is a mid-sized bottom-dwelling fish and is an important part of the marine food chain. It is a valuable commercial species, due to its abundance and excellent nutrition value.

Pollocks typically measure around 35 cm which is an adult size. They are also known to reach a maximum size of 40 cm in length. The body of the Pollock is silver to dark grey in color, with rows of dark spots at the back.

What’s the Pollock’s Natural Habitat?

Pollocks are a highly migratory species, spending most of their life in the open oceans and only returning to the shallower continental shelves to breed. During the breeding season, Pollock migrate to the northern parts of the Pacific Ocean, mainly in the Bering Sea and find refuge among Arctic ice. As the ice dissipates, they move to areas with warmer temperatures, such as the Gulf of Alaska. Pollocks feed on such things as shrimp, krill, and fish, including herring and sand lance.

What is the Method of Capture?

The Pollock are mainly targeted for Commercial Fisheries, which is a sustainable industry. Numerous commercial fishing vessels trawl over submerged ridges and seamounts that have been identified as hot spots for Pollock fishing. They use bottom trawls, midwater trawls, ground line jigging, purse seines, set gillnets, and long lines, depending on the efficiency and legality of the target species.

In addition to traditional fishing methods, modern technology such as acoustic sonar is also deployed to help in the fishing of Pollock. By using these techniques, Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) allow vessel operators to identify the presence of pollock in any particular area with greater accuracy. This helps to improve fishing efficiency and reduce the impact of bycatch.

What Happens Once the Pollock Is Captured?

When a Pollock is successfully captured, it quickly enters the seafood supply chain. Once aboard, they are immediately put on ice and stored in large, refrigerated holds. This is a critical step to ensure that the Pollock is fresh and safe for human consumption when it reaches the dinner plate. The Pollock caught are carefully sorted on board the ship, to check if it is in compliance with all local and international regulations. The fish that passes, is prepared for shipment to land-based processing plants all over the world.

What Is the Processing and Handling Procedure of the Pollock?

Once the Pollock reaches the processing plant from the sea, it is unloaded and sorted manually, based on size and fish body weight. This step is done to ensure that no diseased or unhealthy fish make it to the dinner plate. After the sorting procedure is over, the Pollock is cleaned, and washed thoroughly with cold, fresh water.

The fresh or so-called "round" fish are now ready for further processing, classified according to the grade and quality of the product.

The Pollock is first separated into several categories, depending on its body size, before it is subjected to mechanical freezing, freezing or freezing by cryogenic freezing. With mechanical freezing, liquid Nitrogen at a very low temperature (-196°C) is used to quickly freeze the Pollock while cryogenic freezing is done in a special chamber filled with harsh elements like carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or argon. The process is highly efficient and ensures that the Pollock retains its flavor and nutrition value.

Pollocks frozen in this manner are then graded, packaged, and weighed for delivery to seafood distributors and consumers.

What Is the Final Step Before It Reaches Your Dinner-Plate?

Once the Pollock is frozen and packaged, it is now ready for shipping. It is stored in insulated containers, with dry ice to keep its temperature below the recommended level for safe storage. The Pollock are now ready to be sent out to its final destinations.

The Pollock is transported in refrigerated vehicles, aircraft, or ships directly to retailers, supermarkets, and ports. At this point, the Pollock is tested by the authorities to ensure quality and safety standards are met. If these tests are passed, the fish is cleared for consumption.

What Is the Nutritional Value of Pollock?

Pollock is a healthy source of proteins and essential minerals, including Vitamin B12 and Omega 3 fatty acids, which are vital to the human body. It is low in fat, cholesterol and sodium, and it has a variety of minerals and vitamins.

Pollock is also considered to be an excellent source of heart-healthy proteins and essential nutrients like magnesium and folate which helps in keeping the heart functioning normally. The Omega 3 fatty acids present in Pollock are beneficial for maintaining cardiovascular health.

Conclusion

The journey from sea to dinner plate is quite an amazing one and is made possible with a combination of hard work, science, and technology. From the fishermen on the boat, to the scientists analyzing the Pollocks’ nutritional and health values, everyone involved in the process makes sure that the Pollock reaches the dinner plate safe and sound, with all of its nutrition still intact.

Whether you are looking for a thrilling adventure, wishing to understand the science behind seafood or simply interested in how to enjoy seafood safely and responsibly, you can appreciate that behind any plate of Pollock, there is a remarkable journey!