Alaska Halibut and Black Cod season opening

The 2010 wild Alaska halibut and black cod (sablefish) season opens March 6, 2010. Catch limits for Alaska halibut and black cod are set at 40.3 million pounds and 24.9 million pounds, respectively, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to Alaska Seafood.

Alaska's waters are home to over 75% of the wild Pacific halibut and over 70% of the wild black cod caught in the U.S. Halibut is harvested exclusively with longline gear; black cod is harvested by longline and pots.

Alaska halibut and black cod, and in fact all seafood from Alaska, are wild and sustainable seafood choices. In fact, Alaska is the only state in the nation to have sustainability language written into its Constitution.

Alaska halibut is the largest of the flatfish, some weighing over 300 pounds. Alaska black cod is high in omega-3 fatty acids, making it a preferred source of protein. Both whitefish selections pair naturally with a wide variety of flavor profiles and cooking applications such as: smoking, sautéing, poaching and roasting. Wild Alaska halibut and black cod are available fresh until mid-November, or frozen year-round. Visit www.alaskaseafood.org for more information and dozens of recipes.