Species

Haddock

Melanogrammus aeglefinus

Haddock is a North Atlantic white fish with a very distinctive black blotch—known as the “Devil’s thumbprint”—just above the pectoral fin and an easily recognizable black lateral line running down its side. This deep-sea fish, typically weighing from 2 to 7 pounds (1 to 3 kg), is prolific along the coasts of both North America and Europe.

Haddock have a purplish-grey coloured head and back that gives way to silvery grey with a pinkish tinge and a white belly. It is an elongated fish with a forked tail and three dorsal fins. It is a lean, firm white fish that is popular smoked and in fish and chips.

A highly fecund species, haddock live most of their life in deep waters between 130 and 1,000 feet (40 and 300 m). A female’s production of eggs increases substantially with age, from a few hundred thousand in the youngest spawners to three million in the oldest. Once spawning occurs, the eggs are pelagic – living on the surface of the ocean. Larvae generally float freely for around three months before descending to the bottom to live with the rest of their kind. Spawning occurs between January and June, peaking during late March and early April. The average lifespan for haddock lies somewhere between three and seven years of age, with males generally reaching maturity at four years and females at five. Haddock feed mainly on shellfish, sea urchins, worms, and small fish like sand eels and capelin. In Canada, the most important haddock stocks live from the Bay of Fundy to Cape Breton and the Grand Banks.

Fishing Methods

Bottom Longline with Hooks

This fishery uses a bottom longline that is baited with hooks and anchored to the ocean floor. A longline can be from 1 to 3 miles (1.6 to 5 km) long and have up to 2,000 hooks.

FISHERIES:

Bottom Trawl

This fishery uses a large cone-shaped net that is dragged along the seafloor to catch fish. As the net is towed at low speed, hydrodynamic forces push two "otter boards" outwards opening the mouth of the net and capturing fish in its path.

FISHERIES:

Species Range

Source: Fishbase.org

COMMON NAMES

Scod
Finnan Haddock

FISHERY OPENINGS

Haddock by Bottom Trawl	Jan 01 - Dec 31
Haddock by Hook & Line	Jan 01 - Dec 31

LATEST CATCH

October 10, 2013 Haddock

Lawrence Taylor on eastern Georges Bank
October 12, 2013 Haddock

George Surette on eastern Georges Bank
October 12, 2013 Haddock

Andre d'Entremont on eastern Georges Bank
October 12, 2013 Haddock

Andre d'Entremont on eastern Georges Bank
October 8, 2013 Haddock

Austin Denton on the Scotia Shelf / Bay of Fundy

FEATURED
HARVESTER

Galen Marisco

Dungeness Crab Fisherman

Stewart BC

Haddock Food Info

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Nutritional info based on one fillet (193 g) of raw haddock.

TASTING NOTES

Colour: bright white.
Texture: remarkably firm yet fine, with delicate lean flakes
Flavour: Delicate, mild, yet slightly sweet in flavour.
Perfect serve: Haddock is the perfect fish when smoked for flaking into dishes such as the traditional Anglo-Indian kedgeree. Often served up for breakfast, kedgeree is made on the stove top by combining flaked smoked haddock, boiled rice, parsley, hard boiled eggs, curry powder and cream. Another popular breakfast dish uses smoked “Finnan Haddie” (named for the fishing village of Finnan in Scotland where it was originally cold-smoked over peat), which is then poached in milk.

HOW TO CHOOSE A QUALITY HADDOCK

Properly handled and chilled on ice, fresh haddock has a shelf life of 9 to 15 days. Frozen haddock maintains its quality for up to 18 months if properly packaged and stored. When choosing fresh Haddock, look out for the following:

Freshness of a haddock fillet can be determined by how well it holds together: the fresher the fillet, the firmer it will be.
Look for fillets that are bright white and translucent.
If the fillet presents a dull, chalky hue it is older and could be tainted.
There should be no sign of drying or browning on the fillet.
It can be difficult to distinguish Haddock from Cod: to be sure it’s Haddock you’re getting, look for a thin layer of tissue covering the flesh – Cod does not have this.

FEATURED RECIPE

Steamed Haddock With Leeks, Carrots & Anise

A healthy, light meal prepared with fresh haddock caught by Nova Scotia's finest fishermen. Recipe sponsored by Sobeys.

Description

Please visit Sobey's website for more recipes. Click this link.

Ingredients

4 sheets of parchment paper, approx. 13 x 16 in. (32 x 40 cm)
1 leek, white and light green part only, thinly sliced
2 Compliments Organic Carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/2 bulb anise(fennel), trimmed, cored and sliced, top fronds reserved
4 wild haddock fillets
1/2 tsp salt
2 mL Pepper to taste
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 tsp olive oil
10 mL 1/2 cup
dry white wine, divided 125 mL
1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Fold each sheet of parchment paper in half. Open parchment and divide half the leek, carrots and anise on the right side of each. Place a haddock fillet over each bed of vegetables.
Season fillets with salt and pepper. Coarsely chop the anise fronds (the green tops) and scatter them, plus the red pepper strips and remaining leek, carrots and anise over top of the fish.
Drizzle each fillet with olive oil and wine. Fold left side of parchment paper over the right and tightly roll edges closed like a paper bag. Transfer packets to a baking sheet and cook on the lowest rack of the oven for 15 min. Serve each packet with a lemon wedge.

SEE MORE RECIPES

FUN FACTS

Over the past 30 to 40 years, the growth rates of haddock have increased significantly with haddock reaching their adult size much earlier than previously noted. This growth has slowed slightly again since 2003, however, when an exceptionally large stock was recorded for the year.
In general, North American haddock grow faster than European haddock.
The oldest recorded haddock in North American waters is a 17-year-old fish captured in 1980. It is remarkable especially considering that most haddock live to only between three and seven years.