Chefs love Pacific halibut for its mild, sweet taste and firm texture, which adapts well to many types of cooking. And, since Pacific halibut is a well-managed fishery, this delicious fish is an excellent ocean-friendly seafood selection.

Pacific halibut is the largest flatfish, in terms of size and flavor. The firm, meaty steaks are fantastic on the grill. Or, try halibut fillets poached with piccata or infused with ginger and served over sesame rice.

Also known as:

 Pacific halibut, halibut

Availability:

 Year-round, frozen. March-November, fresh

Product forms:

 Fresh and frozen, fillets and steaks

Shopping tips:

 When possible, choose to buy fresh halibut. If frozen is your only option, remember that frozen halibut will take about one-third less time to cook than fresh halibut.

Substitutions:

 Pacific halibut is an excellent ocean-friendly substitution for overfished Atlantic halibut.

Recipes:

Pan-poached wild-caught Pacific halibut piccata

Ginger-infused wild-caught Pacific halibut with honey wasabi sauce over sesame rice
Halibut fishery: Most Pacific halibut are caught using bottom longlines. More. 

Conservation notes:

 Pacific halibut is considered a ocean-friendly seafood choice because it is well managed and the population is healthy. More.
Last updated: April 2008

       

Halibut Fishery

Most Pacific halibut are caught using bottom longlines. Longlines consist of a long central line that has smaller fishing lines with baited hooks spaced along its length. The lines are left in the water for several hours before the fishes are harvested. Accidental capture and injury of unwanted species can be a problem. And, since bottom longlines are set along the seafloor, they are also associated with habitat destruction.

Most Pacific halibut is harvested from the Gulf of Alaska and the Berring Sea.

Conservation Notes

Some popular seafood species have a history of being managed poorly, which can often result in population crashes that can take many years or decades to recover from. Pacific halibut is managed in such a way to maintain healthy population numbers, and is not considered overfished.

Many types of commercial fishing gear can cause significant habitat destruction, or may catch large numbers of unwanted fishes and other animals. While the bottom longline gear used to capture most Pacific halibut is associated with bycatch and habitat destruction, recent changes in the fishery are attempting to reduce the negative impacts of both.