Hello!
We got our first box today from you guys and we are super excited. After we went through the package, we noticed one of the lingcod portions was green. Is there something wrong with it?
Thanks!

We smile when we receive a message like this. Twenty per cent or less of lingcod are characterized by “sometimes minty-green-tinged flesh”. There are a range of theories on what gives rise to the coloration. Some attribute it to chlorophyll in the fish’s diet and others suggest it’s due to a bile pigment called biliverdin, but no one seems to know for sure. Our chefs contend the green-fleshed fish taste better. We leave the green portions in the mix so it’s pure luck if you receive it. It’s kind of the four-leaf clover of seafood.

A favourite of fishermen and chefs alike, the lingcod is among the finest-tasting of the “white” fleshed fish. We hand-fillet and debone our lingcod leaving the skin intact because the chefs insist that improves the taste as well as eliminates the potential for mislabeling and species (of lesser value) substitution. The almost translucent (and sometimes green) flaky flesh is transformed into a tender snowy white meat when cooked that is described as lean, finely textured and with a mild, sweet flavour.

Although similar in taste and texture to Atlantic and Pacific cod, lingcod is not a cod at all but rather the largest member of the greenling family. Known to grow up to five feet in length and weigh in excess of 80 pounds, lingcod live in the rocky reefs of British Columbia where they are camouflaged by mottled coloration that, depending upon the surrounding environment, varies from mustard yellow and deep brown to grey and dark green.

Organic Ocean’s lingcod is harvested in a small boat artisanal hook-and-line fishery by fishers like Captain Jeff Belveal. Using lures, Jeff catches each fish individually from stocks that are healthy, abundant, and managed to maintain or increase their population while minimizing the impact on the habitat, bycatch, and other marine life. 

Here's a little video clip in which Dan Hayes, co-host of Moosemeat and Marmalade describes why it is so important to know and trust the source of your lingcod….