Sablefish
Anoplopoma fimbria
Buttery, silky, almost foie-gras-like. The sushi-bar darling that ends up on every miso-glaze list in town. Despite the "black cod" alias, sablefish is not actually a cod — it's its own genus.
The fat content is what makes it special. Sablefish carries more oil than salmon, which is why it broils into a glossy, caramelized lacquer when paired with miso, soy, or a sweet glaze. Slow-cook, broil, or smoke. Don't overthink the seasoning.
Caught year-round on longline gear in the Gulf of Alaska and Southeast. The quota system that protects halibut also protects sablefish — same boats, often the same trips.
Where sablefish lives
Biological range is not the same thing as catch context. This section separates public agency range information from the Alaska catching grounds connected to this guide.
Deepwater slope species found along the North Pacific shelf break and deep Gulf of Alaska waters.
North Pacific waters from Japan and Russia through Alaska and down the Pacific Coast.
Centers on Kodiak and Southeast Alaska sablefish grounds.
Catching grounds
The Alaska waters connected to this guide entry. Click through for the full story of each catching ground.
