Sablefish
Anoplopoma fimbria
Also known as Black cod, Butterfish, Skil, Beshow, Coalfish
Culinary Profile
Sablefish have high oil content, making them exceptionally flavorful. They are often called butterfish because of their melt-in-your-mouth, oil-rich meat.
Soft, velvety texture. Their meat has large, white flakes.
Very high in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, EPA, and DHA.
Gastronomic Specifications
Biology & Habitat
Appearance
Sablefish look much like cod. They are often referred to as black cod, even though they are not actually part of the cod family.
Biology
Females can grow more than 3 feet in length. Females are able to reproduce at 6 ½ years old and more than 2 feet in length. Males are able to reproduce at age 5 and 1.9 feet in length. Sablefish spawn in deeper water along the continental slope from January to April in Alaska waters, and from January to March between California and British Columbia.
Where They Live
Range Sablefish are found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean from northern Mexico to the Gulf of Alaska, westward to the Aleutian Islands and into the Bering Sea. There are two populations in the Pacific Ocean: Northern population inhabits Alaska and northern British Columbia waters. Southern population inhabits southern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California waters.
How to Buy & Source
Availability
Year-round.
Source
Wild-caught off Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California. U.S.-farmed sablefish is not currently available commercially.
Commercial Fishery & Harvest
Commercial fishery: In 2024, commercial landings of sablefish totaled 64 million pounds and were valued at $96 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database . Sablefish are the highest valued finfish per pound in Alaska and West Coast commercial fisheries because of their rich oil content. Gear, habitat impacts, and bycatch: Longlines are used to harvest the majority of sablefish in Alaska. Increased catch efficiency, because of individual fishing quotas , reduces the number of hooks deployed and effects on bottom habitat. Individual fishing quotas reduce bycatch by allowing fishermen to operate at a slower pace and providing incentives to fish efficiently.
Nutritional Benchmarking Across 104 Species
Where Sablefish ranks against the rest of the catalogue on each of USDA FoodData Central's per-100 g nutrient measures.
| Nutrient | Value | Rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omega-3 EPA | 677 mg | 5 / 104 | 95% |
| Omega-3 DHA | 718 mg | 10 / 104 | 90% |
| Iron | 1.28 mg | 15 / 111 | 86% |
| Selenium | 36.5 µg | 32 / 106 | 70% |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.5 µg | 55 / 106 | 48% |
| Phosphorus | 168 mg | 95 / 111 | 14% |
| Protein | 13.41 g | 99 / 111 | 11% |
| Zinc | 0.32 mg | 102 / 111 | 8% |
Other Alaska Fisheries
Sustainable species managed out of the same regional fishery council as Sablefish.
Arrowtooth Flounder
Atheresthes stomias
Mild, sweet flavor.
Bocaccio
Sebastes paucispinis
Delicate, nutty, sweet flavor.
Canary Rockfish
Sebastes pinniger
Delicate, nutty, sweet flavor.
Chinook Salmon
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Chinook salmon has a pronounced buttery, rich taste. They are the most highly prized salmon in the culinary world.
Chum Salmon
Oncorhynchus keta
Chum salmon has a lower oil content than other wild salmon, so it has a relatively mild flavor.
Coho Salmon
Oncorhynchus kisutch
Smaller coho have a delicate flavor. Fillets from larger fish have a mild taste.
Dover Sole
Microstomus pacificus
Mild and sweet.
English Sole
Parophrys vetulus
Mild taste with a slight shellfish flavor.
Flathead Sole
Hippoglossoides elassodon
Mild and delicate flavor.
Geoduck
Panopea generosa
The neck is tough and crunchy, while the belly meat is tender and sweet.
Similar by Flavour: Other Rich-Tasting Species
If you enjoy the rich flavour profile of Sablefish, these other species in the catalogue will feel familiar on the palate.
Almaco Jack
Seriola rivoliana
Almaco jack has a clean, sweet, rich, slightly nutty, buttery flavor.
Atlantic Chub Mackerel
Scomber colias
Rich, pronounced 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 Salmon
Salmo salar
Buttery, rich taste.
Atlantic Sea Scallop
Placopecten magellanicus
Sea scallops have a sweet, rich taste that can be mild or briny.
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 removed be…
Frequently Asked Questions
How much selenium does Sablefish provide?
A 100 g raw serving of Sablefish carries 36.5 µg of selenium, about 66% of the 55 µg daily value for adults.
Who manages the Sablefish fishery?
NOAA Fisheries and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council manage the sablefish fishery in Alaska. Managed under the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Groundfish Fishery Management Plans : Fishing season runs from approximately March 1 to November 15 (subject to change each year).
How does Sablefish reproduce?
Females can grow more than 3 feet in length. Females are able to reproduce at 6 ½ years old and more than 2 feet in length. Males are able to reproduce at age 5 and 1.9 feet in length. Sablefish spawn in deeper water along the continental slope from January to April in Alaska waters, and from January to March between California and British Columbia.
How much protein is in 100 g of Sablefish?
A 100 g raw serving of Sablefish provides 13.41 g of protein — roughly 27% of the FDA 50 g daily value.
Sustainability Story
U.S. wild-caught sablefish is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Stock Structure
There are two stocks of sablefish: Eastern Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands/Gulf of Alaska and Pacific coast. According to the most recent stock assessments: The Eastern Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands/Gulf of Alaska stock is not overfished (2024 stock assessment) and not subject to overfishing based on 2024 catch data. Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART .
Population
The stocks are not overfished.
Fishing Rate
Not subject to overfishing.
Habitat Impacts
The trawl, longline, and pot gear used to harvest sablefish have minimal or temporary effects on habitat.
Bycatch
Regulations limit the amount of incidentally caught and discarded fish in the Alaska fishery. The catch shares program on the West Coast creates incentives to reduce bycatch.
Management
NOAA Fisheries and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council manage the sablefish fishery in Alaska. Managed under the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Groundfish Fishery Management Plans : Fishing season runs from approximately March 1 to November 15 (subject to change each year).
Data Source: NOAA Fisheries
Nutritional Profile
per 100 g raw edible portion · 19 values
Energy
Macronutrients
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Vitamins
Minerals
Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy). %DV is percent of 2,000-kcal daily value for adults.
calendar_month Harvest Season
Frozen available year-round.