- Southern blue whiting
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Southern blue whiting Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Gadiformes Family: Gadidae Genus: Micromesistius Species: M. australis Binomial name Micromesistius australis
Norman, 1937The southern blue whiting, Micromesistius australis, is a cod of the genus Micromesistius, found in the southern oceans where the temperature is between 3° and 7°C, at depths of between 50 and 900 m. Its length is between 30 and 90 cm, and maximum weight of 850 g.
In Canada, according to CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) regulations and the list of acceptable fish species names, "Micromesistius australis" (or Southern Blue Whiting) can also be referred to as Blue Cod [1][2]. This well known species is part of the "Gadidae" family and is a very versatile fish. It is most commonly filleted and served breaded or battered, but it is also well suited to pan frying, oven baking and steaming. It has flaky white fillets and mild flavor with broad appeal to children and adults alike.
There are 2 disjunct populations:
- Micromesistius australis australis occurs around the Falkland Islands and Argentine Patagonia in the southwest Atlantic; off Chile in the southeast Pacific; also off South Georgia, South Shetland and South Orkney Islands.
- Micromesistius australis pallidus occurs around the South Island of New Zealand.
References
- Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Micromesistius australis" in FishBase. February 2006 version.
- Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/fispoi/product/comnome.shtm
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