Sablefish are a deep-sea species that live along the continental slope of North America from northern Mexico to the Bering Sea. With a flaky, oily flesh, mild flavor and a soft buttery texture, it’s becoming more popular in the U.S.

Longlines in the Monterey Bay are used to catch fish that live near the ocean floor with hundreds of baited hooks set and left to soak from just a few hours to a whole day. Species harvested with this method include sablefish, rockfish, lingcod, flounders, and soles.

Contrary to popular belief, fishermen harvest much more than crab using pots and traps. While heavy Dungeness crab pots are the trap gear known most to those outside of the commercial fishing industry, plenty of fish are brought aboard with this gear type. These include sablefish, spot prawns, nearshore rockfish, and hagfish (aka slime eels).