Cod is a common name for a family group of demersal fish, named for the ocean?s demersal zone at the bottom of the ocean, where such fish live and eat. There are many species that go by the name ?cod??all united by their habitation of the demersal zone and the low content of fish oil in their flesh.

Like tilapia, cod has a mild flavor. Black cod (sablefish) is a prized delicacy, with a slightly higher fat content and a more buttery taste than Pacific (Alaskan) cod. Both varieties can be baked, broiled, fried, or grilled. Black cod can also be used in sushi.

The sustainability of cod fishing varies greatly by region and species. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch rates Pacific cod as a ?best choice? when caught in the U.S. Pacific by bottom longline, trap, or hook-and-line methods; a ?good alternative? when caught by trawl method; and a fish to avoid when caught in the wild and imported from outside U.S.-controlled waters.

Black cod is only found in the North Pacific, and when sourced from Alaska and British Columbia, it is highly sustainable. The trawl method used in fisheries along California, Oregon, and Washington causes environmental degradation and results in excessive bycatch of other local species. Talk to the fishmonger to make sure you know the origin of the fish and catch method.

There are more than 6,700 species in the scientific order of crab. Dungeness, with its sweet and tender flesh, is the star of the family. It is found on the West Coast and is named for the Port of Dungeness, Washington, the site of this region’s first commercial fishery. Like lobsters, crabs have a hard exterior shell, but they have much shorter tails and lack prominent front claws. Crabs are cheaper than lobster and have a sweeter taste, but they are just as savory when boiled or steamed and served with butter.

Dungeness crabs are caught via traps, a method considered sustainable, as fishermen can release undersized crabs and other bycatch when collecting the crabs. Crabs caught in California, Oregon, and Washington waters are strictly regulated, with rules governing which crabs that can be caught according to size, sex, and season. The Alaskan fishery, on the other hand, is less well managed, and Dungeness crab populations there are more susceptible to overfishing and collapse. Crab sourced from California is usually in season at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market November through June.

California halibut is often confused with or marketed as Pacific or Alaskan halibut. According to Monterey Bay Aquarium, California halibut is most sustainable when caught with a hook-and-line or bottom-trawl method. It should be avoided when caught via the gillnet method, which has a high tendency to ensnare seabirds. Since California halibut is locally sourced from waters directly off California, it is the best option for consumers here.

Both California and Alaskan halibut are mildly flavored with flesh that is flaky when cooked. Halibut?s light flavor makes it a versatile ingredient that can be cooked any number of ways. It has little natural fat, so to prevent it from drying out when cooking you should coat or baste it with olive oil or butter.

Sanddab is a type of flatfish, so named because both of its eyes are on one side of its head, giving it the appearance it is lying face side up. Flounders, sole, turbot, and halibut are other types of commonly eaten flatfish. Sanddabs are a smaller flatfish, found along the American West Coast.

Sanddabs sold to consumers are generally wild caught, not farmed. Wild populations of sanddabs are not depleted, but the trawling method used to catch them can cause a negative impact on the ocean floor. However, flatfish often live in sandy or muddy-bottomed areas, habitat that is less sensitive to trawling than rocky or reef areas. Due to their fast growth and short lifespan, they are considered one of the species of flatfish most resilient to fishing.

Sanddabs have a mild taste but are noted for their sweet and moist flesh. Weighing in at less than a pound, they are too small to fillet, so they are best cooked whole (the head and fins may be removed) by frying or sautéing.

Yellowfin tuna, also know as Hawaiian ahi, is the middleweight champion of the tuna world, weighing in at around 400 pounds. This fish is commonly found around the Hawaiian Archipelago, the Caribbean, and Maldives Islands and in the Indian Ocean. Commercially, wild ahi is often caught by purse seining, a method that encircles the fish school in a pouch-like net that cinches closed with weighted rings. This method is criticized for producing large amounts of bycatch, and some purse-seine rigs additionally use fish-aggravating devices (FADs), which considerably raise the amount of bycatch.

Tuna is in high demand in America, further increasing the environmental impact of commercial fishing and putting pressure on the population. According to Monterey Bay Aquarium?s Seafood Watch, fish caught from U.S.-managed Atlantic and Pacific waters is generally sustainably caught if a troll or poll-and-line method is used, but in international waters, tuna fishing can cause considerably higher bycatch and habitat destruction. Conscientious consumers should ask fishmongers where and how the fish was caught.

Fresh ahi is a large, firm-fleshed fish with a pink, almost ruby-like color, ideal for grilling. It is commonly used in sushi or sashimi or in the Hawaiian preparation poke, which consists of raw cubes of tuna lightly seasoned with sesame seeds and oil, green onions, or seaweed flakes.

Despite its name, the lingcod is not related to the cod fish. It is a member of the Pacific greenling family and native only to North Pacific waters, which makes it a great locally sourced option. Though populations have been depleted in the past, their rapid reproduction has allowed their numbers to stabilize in recent years. Lingcod is caught by the trawling method, which causes some disruption to the ocean floor bottom (and to species that live there), but is not as destructive as other methods.

Lingcod meat is tender yet firm, with large flakes. It takes a little longer to cook than other light fish and lends itself easily to grilling, frying, and baking.  

There are more than 100 species of rockfish, with names varying from geography (Puget Sound rockfish) to appearance (shortbelly rockfish) to habitat (kelp rockfish). A few of the fish in this family are called ocean or sea perch. They are often sold under the general name rockfish or snapper.

A rockfish has a long life and takes many years to reach reproductive maturity. As many are caught early in their lifespan, they are vulnerable to overfishing. When rockfish is caught using the trawl method, it should be avoided, but the hook-and-line method is a more sustainable option.

Rockfish is versatile, lean, and mild flavored. It can be broiled, baked, pan fried, grilled, served whole, or in large fillets. Since the flesh is firmer than some fish, rockfish can also withstand being cubed for use in stir-fries.

While squid can grow over 40 feet in length, the squid you?ll be buying in the farmers market is a more manageable six to twelve inches. A member of the cephalopod family, squid is related to octopus, but it has two long tentacles in addition to its eight arms. Squid is available year round and is either farmed or caught from local fisheries.

Squid is easy to clean and prepare with a paring knife, even for the novice chef. Once the head is removed, the squid can be stuffed, cut into rings and fried, or incorporated into pasta dishes and salads. ?Calamari? is the culinary term for ready-to-eat squid (just as ?beef? and cow and ?pork? to pig). Squid ink, which has a taste similar to black truffles, is also eaten as a flavoring in pastas, sauces, risottos, and even ice cream. Itis a delicious way to stain your teeth for several hours after eating.

Swordfish is one of the most prized fish due to its dense, meaty flavor. Swordfish from the North Atlantic, eastern Pacific, U.S., and Canadian fisheries is well maintained. California consumers are able to enjoy swordfish from Pacific populations right off the coast, where fishing is strictly regulated. Harpoon and handline are the most sustainable catch methods. However, global swordfish fishing uses the longline catch method, resulting in the bycatch of sea turtles, sharks, and seabirds. Since there are no international laws to reduce bycatch, longline fleets contribute heavily to the decline of some of these threatened or endangered species.

In addition to sustainability issues, the Environmental Defense Fund has issued a consumption advisory for swordfish due to its elevated levels of mercury. This fish should not be consumed regularly by adult men and women, and not at all by children and pregnant or nursing women.

Swordish is low in fat yet high in nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Its hearty taste and size is best prepared as a centerpiece (grilled, baked, broiled, or sautéed), rather than incorporated into a dish with many other flavors and ingredients.