Black Cod, U.S. Pacific (also known as sablefish)

 Black cod is the commonly used market name for sablefish on the Pacific Coast – although true black cod is actually a different type of fish.  This fish is high in healthy omega-3s and relatively low in mercury and PCBs for a fish of its size and lifespan. Sablefish is most abundant in the Gulf of Alaska, where it is caught primarily by longline, but it is also caught off of California, Oregon and Washington. The Alaskan and Pacific populations are stable and have not been overfished, although the Pacific population is 4 percent under its target. Both longline and trawl gear are used in the sablefish fishery; longlines can harm seabirds, but measures have been taken to reduce their entanglement in the gear. Sablefish is not strongly associated with contaminants, but may contain some mercury. Consumers should check for current warnings to determine safe consumption levels of fish, in particular for pregnant women, those who may become pregnant and children: www.epa.gov/ost/fish