GREENLAND HALIBUT
Greenland Halibut
The Greenland Halibut likes life cold.
It is found in the North Atlantic and the North Pacific, usually at depths of 400-1500 metres. It is rarely found in water warmer than 4˚C.
It is a voracious feeder – it will eat smaller species whole - and is highly mobile, migrating over long distances. When they are small (less than 20 cm) they feed on plankton and crustaceans, before graduating to shrimp and capelin.
The species reaches sexual maturity late: males at
4-5 years and the female at 9-10 years of age. The male/female ratio is about even, as is their growth rate until they reach around 45 cm, at the age of 6-7.
After that, the males decrease and the remainder grow much more slowly than the females. Fish larger than 90 centimetres are all female. Females also tend to live longer, with specimens as old as 20 years. Males seldom live longer than 12 years.
For fisheries management purposes, Greenland Halibut is treated as three separate stocks in the North Atlantic: Baffin Island/West Greenland, Iceland/East Greenland and the Barents Sea.
Elsewhere, Greenland Halibut is found in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, Sagami Bay, the Sea of Japan, the Okhotsk Sea, the Bering Sea, and the Pacific coast of North America, just off Mexico.
The main harvesting nations of Greenland Halibut in the North Atlantic are Iceland, Germany, Greenland, Faroe Islands and Russia. A few other countries account for smaller volumes.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 | Column 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 132,000 | 1994 | 137,700 | 1998 | 87,300 | 2001 | 113,000 | 2005 | 106,300 | 2009 | 108,500 |
| 1991 | 145,000 | 1995 | 100,300 | 1999 | 117,500 | 2002 | 110,800 | 2006 | 103,500 | |
| 1992 | 146,000 | 1996 | 108,000 | 1999 | 117,500 | 2003 | 122,500 | 2007 | 96,200 | |
| 1993 | 146,000 | 1997 | 97,800 | 2000 | 113,900 | 2004 | 112,800 | 2008 | 91,400 |
Source: FAO
Our Greenland Halibut is caught in West Greenland and the Barents Sea.
Japan is the major market for the smaller and medium size Greenland Halibut while Taiwan is an important customer for the biggest (3+kg). The USA, Germany and France have also long enjoyed Greenland Halibut, and there is a good market for heads and tails in China where these by-products are very valuable.
In Japan, the Greenland Halibut is cut into steaks and either fried or poached. It is also popular for sashimi and sushi. In Germany and other countries in Europe there is a good market for smoked halibut.
Greenland Halibut is a very fatty fish and its content of omega-3 fatty acids varies seasonally. It is a good source of vitamin D.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 172 kcal (715 kJ) | Non saturated fatty acids | 9.5g |
| Fat | 12.8g | Protein | 14.3g |
| Saturated fatty acids | 3.3g | Sodium | 69mg |