Saithe (Pollachius virens)
Saithe
Pollachius Virens (Latin)
Sei (N), Lieu noir (F), Köhler, Seelachs (D)
Season: All year
Size: Up to 120 cm
The fish/fishery
The saithe stock in Norwegian waters is usually divided into two groups, living north and south respectively of 62° N latitude. Both of the stocks have remained at a relatively stable level. Saithe is both a pelagic fish and a bottom-dwelling fish, living at depths of between 0 and 300 metres. It swims in shoals, which can be enormous where there is plenty of food.
Saithe spawn along the coastal banks from the Lofoten Islands and south to the North Sea. The saithe fry then drift northwards, carried by the coastal currents, and young saithe start to appear in the South and Southwest of Norway in the spring, arriving off the coast of Finnmark as late as August. Saithe migrate huge distances from their feeding and growing grounds to their spawning grounds.
Saithe is an important commercial species in Norway. Fishing for saithe takes place in coastal waters and in the far north to the west of the North Cape. In the fjords and in the waters off the Coast of Finnmark County, many saithe are caught using purse seines. In addition, the North Sea and banks to the north of western Finnmark are also good fishing grounds.
Fishing methods
Bottom trawling, Danish seines, purse seine, nets, hand lines.
Use
Sold fresh as fillets or as whole fish or frozen in slices. Saithe can be fried, poached and grilled. It is well-suited for processing, e.g. as thick, juicy saithe steaks.
Source: Eksportutvalget for fisk / Norwegian Seafood Export Council
Headed and Gutted Saithe
Vertical frozen in blocks, abt. 22kg each block, packed in bags ind. palletweight.
Trawl/Liner – caught
Sizes – Norwegian origin:
1,2 kg -
1,2-2,3 kg
2,3 kg +
Fillets of Saithe
Seafrozen fillets:
Packed in cartons, fixed weight, 3x15 lbs, 3x6,8 kg = 20,43 kg net each master carton.
Skin off/skin on, pin bone in, trawl/liner – caught
Sizes:
3/5 oz
5/8 oz
8-16 oz
16-32 oz
32 oz +
Grading can also be done after agreement with customer