Pacific Grenadier - What to know, when & where to get it
Pacific Grenadier
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(year-round)
Pacific Grenadier are deep-water fish known for their flaky light-pink meat and mild sweet flavor. They’re not the prettiest looking when you see them whole, but their fillets can be fried, baked, roasted, or broiled. They make excellent fish tacos and fish & chips!
Grenadier have large heads and long bodies, tapering to a point. They’re a grayish-brown color, and often darken as they get older. They’re deep-water groundfish, usually found between 900 and 9,000 feet!
Fishermen don’t typically target grenadier, but often catch them with trawl or longlines when targeting other species like Dover sole and sablefish (black cod).
Buying Tips
Ask for fresh, local Grenadier from your fishmonger or community supported fishery (CSF).
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Be adventurous and try a new preparation of this fish.
Seafood Illustration courtesy of “Monterey Bay Aquarium®
Recipes
Kevin's Baja-Style Grenadier Fish Tacos
(Real Good Fish)
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Oven Baked Fish & Chips
(Kaiser Permanente)
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Homemade Beer-Battered Fish and Chips
(KQED)
More about Pacific Grenadier
Life, habitat, and management
Pacific Grenadier (Coryphaenoides acrolepis) live along the Pacific Coast from the Bering Sea down to Northern Mexico, and as far West as Japan.
Their habitat is deep, deep water, from 900-9,000 feet. They feed on other small fish, krill, prawns, amphipods, and cephalopods. A slow-growing fish, Grenadier require very little oxygen and expend very little energy, taking a long time to grow to marketable sizes.
NOAA and the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) manage this fishery. Pacific Grenadier is currently harvested at sustainable levels according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, which lists them as a “Good Alternative.” Although the stock status is not studied, fisheries managers do not consider Grenadier to be at risk for overfishing.
SOURCES:
CA SeaGrant, NOAA, Seafood Watch
Where & When to Find Pacific Grenadier
Pacific Grenadier is available year-round in California.
You can buy it directly from local restaurants, grocery stores, and fish markets —check out our Local Catch Guide for more information, or check out our recipes page for tips on how to store, prepare, and cook Pacific Grenadier and other seafood.
Want a fun calendar to remind you of what is in season here in Monterey Bay? Download + print our seafood seasonality guide (downloadable pdf).