The halibut can be as long as 2.5 meters and weigh 300 kilograms. Its Latin name Hippoglossus means "hippo in the sea". Most commercially caught halibut weighs less than 50 kilograms. Only females grow to a larger size, and males rarely exceed 25 kg. Fishermen in Alaska call halibut (weighing more than 40kg) a whale, and halibut (weighing less than10kg) a "chicken".
Halibut is very popular, and its thick white fillets are highly regarded, which is an excellent substitute for some expensive fish species such as Chilean sea bass. Although flounder is a kind of fish with low oil content, its excellent texture is suitable for many cooking methods from steaming to frying.
Like haddock, Pacific halibut is caught by ITQ (Individual Transferable Quota) system, and fishermen can complete their quotas at any time during the fishing moratorium from March 15 to 10/0 15. In this way, fresh flounder can be supplied for eight months a year, while frozen flounder can be supplied all year round.
Halibut can only be caught with a long line hook. The longest hook connected by long-line gear can reach more than 6 kilometers. On these long lines, hang a hook with bait every 2-3 meters. The halibut is caught fresh, cleaned after bleeding and frozen immediately, so its product quality is very high.
Japanese and Russian fishermen also catch flounder in the northwest Pacific, but the output is far less than that of American fishermen. The average size of the flounder caught is only 5 kg, far less than that of the flounder produced in Alaska.
Whether it is fresh or frozen, the products with heads and dirt removed are graded every 20 Jin, which can be divided into 20/40, 40/60 and so on. The English word "Fletch" refers to a large fillet (such as one side of salmon). One flounder can produce four fillets of Philae.
Because of its large size, halibut has a large head and cheeks. It is a delicious dish with a slightly sweet taste and fibrous meat (similar to rays). The head and cheeks of halibut are supplied with fresh and frozen products.
Atlantic halibut is a kind of fish similar to Pacific halibut, and the individual is also very large, usually weighing hundreds of pounds. The annual output of this fish in the United States is less than 50 tons.
California flounder (Paralichthys califor-nicus) belongs to Pacific flounder, and its size is small (less than 30 kg). As the name suggests, this fish is native to California waters and is actually a member of the Paralichthys family.