So here’s a quick cheat sheet to help decipher the thorniest parts of the hirame issue: ![]() Which type of fish is best for hirame (flatfish sushi)? This practice is especially troublesome in the Atlantic as the populations of many affected species are already flagging. Unfortunately, this kind of fishing causes a great deal of habitat disruption and can harm or kill other animals. These flatfish are generally bottom-trawled: A weighted net is dragged across the seabed to snare as many flatfish as possible. The big problem with many sole and flounder fisheries is the methods used to catch the fish. A large amount of California halibut is caught on longlines or bottom trawled (caught in large nets dragged along the sea bottom), but a portion of the fishery employs set nets that catch fish by their gills and are known to entangle and kill other animals. “California halibut” ( Paralichthys californicus) is actually a flounder, but nonetheless it is marketed as halibut. The presence of California halibut on the West Coast doesn’t make the situation any simpler. The technical Japanese term for flounder is karei. There are even large-scale fisheries in the Pacific that target petrale and rex “sole,” both of which are actually flounders. This doesn’t prevent us from seeing Pacific Ocean “sole” for sale in the seafood market or finding “flounder” on a menu when what’s actually being served is sole or turbot. First of all, the names flounder and sole are thrown around very liberally and often can be misleading. If the flatfish is not Alaskan halibut, the issue starts to get more complicated. The actual term for halibut in Japanese is ohyo. That being said, decreasing population levels and increasing bycatch, unintended species and juveniles that are caught and discarded, are beginning to become issues in this fishery. With well-enforced regulations and thoughtful quota limits, this fishery has been a trendsetting example for progressive management and sustainable harvesting. The best option we can hope for here in the United States is Pacific halibut ( Hippoglossus stenolipus) from Alaska. The key to enjoying hirame (or any flatfish sushi) responsibly is to discern which particular fish is on your plate. ![]() The term hirame can refer to just about any white-fleshed, horizontally oriented, bottom-dwelling fish: halibut, sole, flounder, fluke, turbot, and others. Mercury Risk: Low (Atlantic fluke), Moderate (California & Pacific halibuts) PCB WARNING
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