Seafood Guide

Acadian Redfish

Sebastes fasciatus

Mild and slightly sweet. Redfish can be used as a substitute for haddock and similar fish.

Alaska Pollock

Gadus chalcogrammus

Pollock has mild-tasting flesh and is similar to other white fish like cod or haddock.

Alaska Snow Crab

Chionoecetes opilio

Sweet.

Almaco Jack

Seriola rivoliana

Almaco jack has a clean, sweet, rich, slightly nutty, buttery flavor.

American Lobster

Homarus americanus

Mild and sweet.

American Plaice

Hippoglossoides platessoides

Subtle, sweet flavor.

Arrowtooth Flounder

Atheresthes stomias

Mild, sweet flavor.

Atlantic Bigeye Tuna

Thunnus obesus

Bigeye tuna has a mild, meaty flavor, with a higher fat content than yellowfintuna. Sashimi lovers prefer it.

Atlantic Blacktip Shark

Carcharhinus limbatus

Sweet, meaty taste.

Atlantic Chub Mackerel

Scomber colias

Rich, pronounced flavor.

Atlantic Cod

Gadus morhua

Atlantic cod has a mild clean flavor. It is sweeter than Pacific cod.

Atlantic Common Thresher Shark

Alopias vulpinus

Mild flavor.

Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab

Chaceon quinquedens

Sweet and clean.

Atlantic Halibut

Hippoglossus hippoglossus

Halibut has a very mild, sweet taste.

Atlantic Herring

Clupea harengus

Small fresh herring have a more delicate flavor, while larger herring have a fuller, oilier flavor.

Atlantic Mackerel

Scomber scombrus

Mackerel has a rich, pronounced flavor. For a milder flavor, cut out the outer bands of dark meat along the midline.

Atlantic Mahi Mahi

Coryphaena hippurus

Mahi mahi has a sweet, mild flavor. For a milder flavor, trim away darker portions of the meat.

Atlantic Pollock

Pollachius virens

Sweet and delicate.

Atlantic Salmon

Salmo salar

Buttery, rich taste.

Atlantic Sea Scallop

Placopecten magellanicus

Sea scallops have a sweet, rich taste that can be mild or briny.

Atlantic Sharpnose Shark

Rhizoprionodon terraenovae

Reported to be quite tasty.

Atlantic Skipjack Tuna

Katsuwonus pelamis

Skipjack tuna has the most pronounced taste of all of the tropical tunas.

Atlantic Spiny Dogfish

Squalus acanthias

Mild and sweet.

Atlantic Striped Bass

Morone saxatilis

Both wild-caught and farmed striped bass have a slightly sweet flavor.

Atlantic Surfclam

Spisula solidissima

When cooked, the white meat is mild and sweet.

Atlantic Wahoo

Acanthocybium solandri

Mild.

Atlantic Yellowfin Tuna

Thunnus albacares

Yellowfin tuna has a mild, meaty flavor. It’s more flavorful than albacore, but leaner than bluefin tuna.

Black Grouper

Mycteroperca bonaci

Grouper has a mild but distinct flavor, somewhere between bass and halibut. Gag is sometimes mistakenly referred to as black group…

Black Sea Bass

Centropristis striata

Mild, fresh, somewhat delicate flavor.

Blacknose Shark

Carcharhinus acronotus

Sweet, meaty taste.

Blue Mussel

Mytilus edulis

Tender meat and sweet flavor.

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

Rich, full flavor. The larger the fish, the more pronounced the taste. A strong-flavored, dark strip of meat on the fillet may be …

Blueline Tilefish

Caulolatilus microps

Tilefish has a mild sweet flavor, similar to lobster or crab. It is similar in taste to golden tilefish. Almost all tilefish is so…

Bocaccio

Sebastes paucispinis

Delicate, nutty, sweet flavor.

Bonnethead Shark

Sphyrna tiburo

Sweet, meaty taste.

Brown Rock Shrimp

Sicyonia brevirostris

Sweet, succulent flavor similar to lobster. Brown rock shrimp are often called the “little shrimp with a big lobster taste,” and c…

Brown Shrimp

Farfantepenaeus aztecus

Flavorful and sweet. Brown shrimp sometimes have a slight iodine taste.

Butterfish

Peprilus triacanthus

Fatty, oily, and delicious.

California Market Squid

Doryteuthis (Loligo) opalescens

Mild, and subtly sweet.

Canary Rockfish

Sebastes pinniger

Delicate, nutty, sweet flavor.

Caribbean Spiny Lobster

Panulirus argus

Mild and sweet.

Chinook Salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

Chinook salmon has a pronounced buttery, rich taste. They are the most highly prized salmon in the culinary world. White Chinook t…

Chum Salmon

Oncorhynchus keta

Chum salmon has a lower oil content than other wild salmon, so it has a relatively mild flavor.

Cobia

Rachycentron canadum

Cobia has a sweet, rich flavor.

Coho Salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

Smaller coho have a delicate flavor. Fillets from larger fish have a mild taste.

Crimson Jobfish ('Ōpakapaka)

Pristipomoides filamentosus

Crimson jobfish has a delicate flavor.

Dover Sole

Microstomus pacificus

Mild and sweet.

Eastern Oyster

Crassostrea virginica

Ranges from sweet to briny.

English Sole

Parophrys vetulus

Mild taste with a slight shellfish flavor.

Finetooth Shark

Carcharhinus isodon

Sweet, meaty taste.

Flathead Sole

Hippoglossoides elassodon

Mild and delicate flavor.

Gag Grouper

Mycteroperca microlepis

Mild but distinct flavor, somewhere between bass and halibut.

Geoduck

Panopea generosa

The neck is tough and crunchy, while the belly meat is tender and sweet.

Golden Tilefish

Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps

Tilefish has a mild flavor, similar to lobster or crab. Almost all tilefish is sold fresh.

Gray Triggerfish

Balistes capriscus

The meat of gray triggerfish is uniquely sweet. It tastes more like crab than fish. The meat is of excellent quality and is good f…

Greater Amberjack

Seriola dumerili

Greater amberjack has a sweet, mild flavor.

Greenland Turbot

Reinhardtius hippoglossoides

Sweet, rich flavor that is similar to halibut.

Haddock

Melanogrammus aeglefinus

Slightly sweet.

King Mackerel

Scomberomorus cavalla

King mackerel has a rich, pronounced flavor. For a milder flavor, cut out the outer bands of dark, strong-tasting meat along the m…

Lingcod

Ophiodon elongatus

A mild-tasting fish.

Longfin Squid

Doryteuthis (Amerigo) pealeii

Mild and slightly sweet.

Longtail Red Snapper (Onaga)

Etelis coruscans

Onaga has a delicate flavor and is highly prized for its taste, texture, and appearance.

Monkfish

Lophius americanus

Mild.

North Atlantic Albacore Tuna

Thunnus alalunga

Mild, rich taste.

North Atlantic Swordfish

Xiphias gladius

Moist and flavorful with a slightly sweet taste.

North Pacific Swordfish

Xiphias gladius

Moist, flavorful, and slightly sweet.

Northern Anchovy

Engraulis mordax

Canned or salted anchovies have a pronounced, salty tang, and fresh anchovies have a rich but subtle taste and a soft texture.

Northern Quahog

Mercenaria mercenaria

Mild flavor, sweet, and briny.

Ocean Quahog

Arctica islandica

A somewhat stronger taste than other clams.

Opah

Lampris guttatus, Lampris spp.

Opah has a rich, creamy taste. The flavor is distinctive, a cross between tuna and swordfish.

Pacific Albacore Tuna

Thunnus alalunga

Mild, rich taste.

Pacific Bigeye Tuna

Thunnus obesus

Bigeye tuna has a mild, meaty flavor, with a higher fat content than yellowfinand is preferred by sashimi lovers.

Pacific Blue Marlin

Makaira nigricans

Rich, full flavor.

Pacific Bluefin Tuna

Thunnus orientalis

Bluefin has a distinctive flavor. With its high fat content, it is especially prized for sushi and sashimi. Cooking is generally n…

Pacific Cod

Gadus macrocephalus

Pacific cod is a mild-tasting fish.

Pacific Common Thresher Shark

Alopias vulpinus

Mild flavor.

Pacific Halibut

Hippoglossus stenolepis

Very mild and sweet.

Pacific Mackerel

Scomber japonicus

Rich with a pronounced flavor.

Pacific Mahimahi

Coryphaena hippurus

Mahimahi has a sweet, mild flavor. For a milder flavor, trim away the darker portions of the meat.

Pacific Ocean Perch

Sebastes alutus

Delicate, nutty flavor.

Pacific Oyster

Crassostrea gigas; Magallana gigas

Ranges from sweet to briny.

Pacific Sardine

Sardinops sagax caerulea

When fresh, small sardines have a delicate flavor. Larger sardines have a fuller, oilier flavor, similar to anchovies but milder. …

Pacific Shortfin Mako Shark

Isurus oxyrinchus

Sweet with a full-bodied, meaty taste.

Pacific Skipjack Tuna

Katsuwonus pelamis

Skipjack tuna has the most pronounced taste of all of the tropical tunas.

Pacific Spiny Dogfish

Squalus suckleyi

Sweet, mild flavor and a higher oil content than mako or other sharks.

Pacific Wahoo

Acanthocybium solanderi

Lean and mild.

Pacific Whiting

Mercluccius productus

Mild and slightly sweet.

Pacific Yellowfin Tuna

Thunnus albacares

Yellowfin tuna has a mild, meaty flavor. It’s more flavorful than albacore, but leaner than bluefin.

Petrale Sole

Eopsetta jordani

Sweet, delicate, nutty flavor.

Pink Salmon

Oncorhynchus gorbuscha

Pink salmon has a low oil content so it’s generally lean and mild-flavored.

Pink Shrimp

Farfantepenaeus duorarum

Flavorful and sweet.

Queen Conch

Aliger gigas

Conch has a sweet, slightly smoky flavor, similar to abalone or clam. Fresh, farmed conch is sweeter and more tender than frozen, …

Red Grouper

Epinephelus morio

Red grouper has a mild but distinct flavor, somewhere between bass and halibut. Red grouper is sweeter and milder than black group…

Red Hake

Urophycis chuss

Mild and slightly sweet. Hake can be substituted in many dishes calling for pollock or cod.

Red King Crab

Paralithodes camtschaticus

Red king crab meat has a distinctive rich, sweet flavor and delicate texture.

Red Snapper

Lutjanus campechanus

Red snapper has a sweetly mild but distinctive flavor.

Rex Sole

Glyptocephalus zachirus

Mild and sweet.

Rock Sole

Lepidopsetta billineta (southern rock sole) and Lepidopsetta polyxystra (northern rock sole)

Mild, sweet flavor.

Sablefish

Anoplopoma fimbria

Sablefish have high oil content, making them exceptionally flavorful. They are often called butterfish because of their melt-in-yo…

Sandbar Shark

Carcharhinus plumbeus

Sweet, meaty taste.

Scup

Stenotomus chrysops

Mild.

Shortfin Squid

Illex illecebrosus

Mild, and subtly sweet.

Shortspine Thornyhead

Sebastolobus alascanus

Sweet and mild.

Silver Hake

Merluccius bilinearis

Mild and slightly sweet.

Sockeye Salmon

Oncorhynchus nerka

Rich flavor that rivals the flavor of Chinook (king) salmon.

Spanish Mackerel

Scomberomorus maculatus

Spanish mackerel has a rich, pronounced flavor. For a milder flavor, cut out the outer bands of dark, strong-tasting meat along th…

Striped Marlin

Kajikia audax

Distinctive flavor similar to but more pronounced than swordfish. It is considered the finest eating of all marlin species.

Sugar Kelp

Saccharina latissima

Sugar kelp has a savory and slightly sweet flavor. When dried, a white, sweet-tasting powder forms on the blade.

Summer Flounder

Paralichthys dentatus

Skin is edible. Meat has a delicate flavor.

Vermilion Snapper

Rhomboplites aurorubens

Mild and sweet.

Western Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Thunnus thynnus

Bluefin has a distinctive flavor. With its high fat content, it is especially prized for sushi and sashimi. Cooking is generally n…

White Hake

Urophycis tenuis

White hake has a mild, almost sweettaste.

White Shrimp

Litopenaeus setiferus

Flavorful and sweet. Large white shrimp don’t develop the slight iodine taste of other large shrimp.

Widow Rockfish

Sebastes entomelas

Delicate, nutty flavor.

Winter Flounder

Pseudopleuronectes americanus

Mild.

Winter Skate

Leucoraja ocellata

Mild flavor that is similar to scallops.

Witch Flounder

Glyptocephalus cynoglossus

Subtle, sweet flavor.

Wreckfish

Polyprion americanus

Wreckfish has a mild but distinct flavor similar to grouper.

Yellowfin Sole

Limanda aspera

Mild, sweet flavor.

Yellowtail Flounder

Limanda ferruginea

Sweet and mild.

Yellowtail Rockfish

Sebastes flavidus

Very mild, slightly sweet flavor.