Glossary of Terms

1x FROZEN	Seafood that has been frozen only once. Typically, these products are frozen at sea however, they can be headed, gutted, and packed in ice at sea to then be frozen for the first time at a packing plant.
2x FROZEN	Seafood that is frozen for the first time at sea or on shore, thawed at a processing plant, portioned, and then frozen again for sale.
ACTIVE FISHING DAYS	The number of days during a period-of- time which fishing activities are greater than zero, or not negligible.
AGE CLASS	A grouping of fish of the same age range within a population. The first year of life of the fish will place them in the "0" group until the following year.
AHI	The most valuable fish in the world. Ahi is the Hawaiian name for yellowfin tuna. The fish has a ruby-red flesh that turns an off-white color when cooked. Often eaten raw as it is widely recognized for its sashimi grade quality.
ALLOCATION	A quantity of catch, effort, or biomass. The allocation can be the number of tons or a percentage of the annual allowable catch.
ALLOWABLE CATCH	See TOTATL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC).
ALLOWABLE QUOTA	A share in a TAC usually divided amongst those with a right to participate in the fishery. See also INDIVIDUAL TRANSFERRABLE QUOTA (ITQ).
ANADROMOUS SPECIES	Young fish that migrate from freshwater to saltwater and return as adults to spawn in freshwater.
ARTISANAL FISHERIES	Traditional fisheries that operate with energy efficiency and a small amount of capital. Generally operating with smaller fishing vessels on shorter fishing trips, closer to home.
BARBEL	A fleshy projection usually attached to the mouth or snout of a fish. An example would be the barbels of a catfish.
BATTERED	Product covered in a mixture usually consisting of flour, milk, and eggs. This is usually partly cooked ("pre-cooked") to set the batter before freezing. Batter serves the same purpose as breading.
BEACH PRICE	Price for a product at the landing point without regard to transportation or handling costs.
BEAM TRAWLER	A type of outrigger trawler in which the fishing gear is towed from an extended boom on both sides of the boat each towing a beam trawl. The beams are utilized to spread the mouth of the net. The beam trawl has been largely replaced by the otter trawl.
BIOMASS STANDING	The total weight of a group of fish, or of some defined fraction of it, in an area at a particular time.
BIVALVES	Mollusks with a compressed body inside of a hinged shell such as oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops.
BLOCK FROZEN	Product is placed in a form or carton, topped up with water and frozen in a plate freezer. This technique is probably the one most often used for seafood. It gives good product protection, and because cartons are solidly filled, it makes transportation and storage easier with less chance of damaging cartons or contents. The product is protected because a relatively small surface area is exposed, and this is easy to cover with glaze.
BONING KNIFE	A boning knife is the best knife for cutting meat bones and trimming cartilage to create the perfect joint or cut before cooking. The pointed tip and slim blade make it a great choice for cutting around the bone without ruining the surrounding flesh. Boning knives are designed to be light and maneuverable, so you can count on them to be comfortable and easy to use.
BOTTOM TRAWL	Trawls that are specifically designed and rigged to work near the ocean floor. See OTTER TRAWLS and PAIR TRAWLS.
BRACKISH WATERS	A body of water with a salinity mixture of river water and freshwater.
BREADING	Flour-based covering used to coat fish, shrimp, and other seafood. The breading forms a jacket within which the product cooks gently. Breading helps to retain moisture in the product during cooking and adds contrasting texture and flavor to the product.
BROOD STOCK	Referring to the method of aquaculture, an adult fish from which subsequent generations may be produced in captivity to be released to the wild for stock enhancement.
BUCKRAM	A crab past the paper shell stage but not yet fully hardened. Unmarketable as a soft crab, it is also known as "papershell" and "buckler."
BUTTERFLY FILLETS	This cut is achieved by removing the head and inside of the fish, including the rib bones. Essentially all that will be left are the fillets attached to the skin. When opened and placed flat, the two fillets will still be attached in the center and will take the shape of a butterfly with its wings spread.
BYCATCH	Although certain species are targeted during fishing, other marine life can become hooked, trapped, or caught in nets unintentionally. This is what is referred to as bycatch and there are regulations on how much bycatch is allowed.
BYCATCH REDUCTION (EXCLUDER) DEVICE	A device inserted in fishing nets to allow for the escape of species that are non-targeted, prohibited, and endangered.
C.I.T.E.S.	Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. CITES is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
CAGE CULTURE	Aquaculture production system where fish are raised either in a cage on the ocean floor or suspended in floating net pens.
CALAMARI	This is the Italian name for squid. The tentacles and tube-shaped body can be sliced, severed, or left whole. The meat should be very firm, with cream-colored skin with reddish-brown spots.
CAPTURE FISHERY	The sum of all activities utilized to harvest a given fish resource. It may refer to the location, target resource, technology used, social characteristics, purpose or season.
CAST NET	A wide, cone-shaped net cast from the shore or from a boat. The perimeter of the net is lined with weights and catches fish by falling and closing in on them. Its use is Typically regulated to shallow waters.
CATCH	The activity that results in taking fish out of its environment dead or alive. 2.) The total number or weight of fish caught by fishing operations.
CATCH PER UNIT EFFORT (CPUE)	The quantity of fish caught (in number or in weight) with one standard unit of fishing effort; e.g. number of fish taken per 1,000 hooks per day or weight of fish, in tons, taken per hour of trawling. CPUE is often considered an index of fish biomass (or abundance). Sometimes referred to as catch rate. CPUE may be used as a measure of economic efficiency of fi shing as well as an index of fish abundance. Also called: catch per effort, fi shing success, availability.
CATCHER -PROCESSOR VESSEL	A fishing vessel that can both catch and process the fish onboard. See FACTORY TRAWLERS or FREEZER-LONGLINERS.
CATCHER VESSEL	A fishing vessel that harvests fish but does not have the capacity to process onboard.
CCA BREAKING FILLET KNIFE	Breaking knives are thinner and more flexible than butcher knives with tips that curve upwards towards the spine of the blade. Breaking knives are designed for use on primal cuts out of a hanging side of beef and are also extremely functional when breaking down whole fish.
CELLO WRAPS	Fillets wrapped together in cellophane or polyethylene film. Each wrap is usually labeled with the type of fish, the packer, and the brand. Cellos may also be unlabeled.
CEPHALOPODS	Marine mollusks including squids, cuttlefishes, and octopuses which move by expelling water from a tubular siphon under the head. Bearing a group of muscular, sucker-bearing arms around the front of the head, highly developed eyes, and typically a sac containing ink which is ejected for defense or concealment.
CEREMONIAL AND SUBSISTENCE	A harvest category specific to Native American tribes representing fishing rights granted by treaty.
CHEEKS	these are cut from the head of larger mature fish and are the small pocket of flesh found just below each eye. Hailed by many as one of the tastiest parts of a fish, they are round fish
CLOSED SEASON/SEASONAL CLOSURE	The prohibition of fishing activity, in an area or fishery, for weeks or several months, usually in protection of juveniles or spawners in a species.
CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES	The protection, improvement and use of natural resources according to principles that will assure their highest economic or social benefits for mankind and the environment now and into the future.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN	Often abbreviated COO. A labeling standard in the United States indicating the last country where the product was significantly modified.
CRUSTACEANS	A group of freshwater and saltwater invertebrates with jointed legs and a hard shell of chitin. Includes shrimps, crabs, lobsters, and crayfish.
CUMULATIVE (CATCH) LIMIT	The total allowable amount a vessel may take, possess, or land of a species or a species group during a given period-of- time.
CUMULATIVE (CATCH) LIMIT STACKING	The association of cumulative limits with permits, rather than with vessels, allowing a vessel with multiple limited entry permits to harvest multiple cumulative limits. Also known as permit stacking.
DECAPODS	An animal that has 10 appendages such as prawns, lobsters, or squids.
DEMERSAL	Fish or shellfish which live or are found near the deepest part of a body of water for survival. Cods, groupers, crabs, and lobsters are demersal resources.
DEPLETED STOCK	A reduction, through overfishing, in the abundance of the exploitable segment of a species compared to historical levels. When a reproductive capacity has been reduced it will require active rebuilding strategies in order to recover.
DEPURATION	The practice of cleansing bacteria from live shellfish to make them safe to eat.
DEVEIN	To remove the intestinal tract, which resembles a vein, from the tail section of a shrimp, lobster, or other crustacean.
DIPS	A number of similar chemicals used in processing seafood to help retain moisture and sometimes to improve the appearance by whitening. Sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium or potassium pyrophosphate and other phosphate compounds are among the chemicals used. The use of these, or any other additives, should be listed on the label of each inner pack.
DOMESTIC ANNUAL HARVEST (DAH)	The domestic annual fishing capacity, modified by other factors (such as economic factors), which will determine estimates of what the fleets will harvest.
DOMESTIC ANNUAL PROCESSING (DAP)	The amount that will be domestically processed, based not only on physical capacity but on a demonstrated intent and the effects of domestic harvesting, markets, and other fisheries.
DRESSED WEIGHT	The dressed weight of fish is a measurement taken after it has been cleaned, gutted, and scaled.
DRIFTING GILLNET	A fishing technique where drift nets hang vertically in the water by floats attached to a rope along the top of the net. Another rope along the bottom of the net has weights attached which allow the net to float to a certain depth without being anchored to the bottom. These nets function as gillnets if fish are captured when their gills get stuck in the net. Depending on the fish being targeted, the size of the grid in the net will vary. The United Nations established a worldwide moratorium on all high seas drift net fishing in all the world's oceans, enclosed seas, and semi-enclosed seas, but applies only to international waters, not to waters under national jurisdiction.
DRIFTING LONGLINE	A longline kept near the surface, or at a certain depth, by means of regularly spaced floats and relatively thin branch lines with baited hooks that are evenly spaced on a mainline. Drifting longlines are used in pelagic fisheries targeting tuna and billfish. The biggest advantage of longlining is the ability to fish a larger area with a smaller crew.
DRIFTNET	See DRIFTING GILLNET.
EL NIÑO	A drastic warming of the equatorial waters in the Pacific Ocean. It is accompanied by significant changes in the abundance and distribution of a species. El Niño occurs usually every three to seven years..
ENCIRCLING GILLNET	Typically utilized in shallow water, the floatline remains at the surface where the gillnets descend vertically. After the gillnet has encircled the fish, a noise is used to force the fish to entangle themselves in the netting.
ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT (ESA)	The ESA is a statute which was enacted in 1973 to conserve species and ecosystems. Under its auspices, species facing possible extinction are listed as threatened or endangered, or as candidate species for such listings. When such a listing is made, recovery and conservation plans are drawn up to ensure the protection of the species and its habitat
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS)	As part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, an EIS is an analysis of the expected impacts resulting from a proposed Federal action (such as fisheries management or a development plan) on the environment. An EIS is required for all fishery management plans as well as significant amendments to existing plans. The purpose of an EIS is to ensure that the proposed Federal action gives appropriate consideration to environmental values in order to prevent harm to the environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIVE AGENCY (EPA)	A Federal agency charged with enforcing numerous environmental laws (including the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the State Drinking Water Act) and supporting state and local governments in establishing and enforcing environmental laws. In addition to enforcement, the EPA researches causes, effects, and remediation of environmental problems. All final environmental impact statements (EIS) are available from the EPA.
ESCAPEMENT	The total number of fish remaining at the end of a season that reach the spawning grounds. The term is generally referred to for anadromous fish.
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)	An area of water within a certain distance from a country's coastline, to which the country claims exclusive rights for fishing, drilling, and other economic activities.
EX-VESSEL	Activities that occur when a commercial fishing boat lands or unloads a catch. For example, the price received by a captain at the point of landing for the catch is an ex-vessel price.
FACTORY TRAWLER	A large trawler that is equipped to catch, gut, clean, freeze and store fish for commerce. Many trawlers also have the ability to process the oil and meal from the fish.
FAIR TRADE SEAFOOD	A a new certification rolling out that assesses fair wages, safe working conditions, and environmental protection for the fishermen and farmers. It may include additional benefits such as providing education, healthcare, and clean water for the local community where the seafood is from.
FARM GATE PRICE	In aquaculture, the price for a product at the production site, not taking account of any transportation or subsequent handling costs.
FARM-RAISED	Fish that are commercially raised in controlled pens which exist within lakes, oceans or rivers, as well as fish raised in large tanks. Farm-raised fish are bred to make fish cheaper and more readily available to consumers. As it stands, farm-raised fish makes up about 90% of the fish consumption within the US. Farmed fish are fed a low-quality fish feed. Salmon farming also incorporates food coloring in the fishmeal to give the salmon a pink color that we associate with the fish. If not for the food coloring the farmed fish are naturally a sort of gray color because of their limited diet. Wild salmon are naturally pink because they eat krill, which gets its color from red algae.
FEED	Edible material having nutrient value, typically residues from agriculture and food producing industries, as well as fish meal.
FILLET	The flesh of a fish which has been cut or sliced away from the bone. This is done by cutting lengthwise along one side of the fish parallel to the backbone. Fillets will be irregular in size and shape.
FILLET BOARD	The board is long enough (24") for numerous types of fish, and the wood surface is strong so it can withstand the contact with the fillet knife. Grooves in the wood help to eliminate any liquid build-up on its surface and this helps to prevent unwanted movement of the fish.
FILLETING KNIFE	The slim, flexible blade is perfect for removing bones without damaging the delicate flesh of the fish. They differ from other knives in that they’re often used to cut through food horizontally, rather than vertically — this allows chefs to cut around the backbone of whole fish to create perfect fillets. Filleting knives are great for all kinds of work involving fish, so they’re perfect if you like to try out lots of new recipes.
FILTER FEEDERS	Mollusks such as clams, mussels, scallops and oysters. These shellfish pump water through their digestive systems and absorb the nutrients they need from the water.
FISH LOINS	Located above the spine, loins are the prime cut of a fish.
FISH SCALER	The Fish Scaler is built with a jagged stripping blade that lifts the scale and then extracts it as it is moved over the scales joined to the skin. The curved buffer that is built opposite the blade keeps the scales from being thrown in random directions as they are removed with manual force.
FISH STEAK	a cut of fish which is cut perpendicular to the spine and may include the bones. Fish steaks are generally made from fish larger than 10 lbs so larger fish, such as tuna, swordfish, salmon, cod and mahi-mahi, are often cut into steaks.
FISHABLE STOCK	Enforced regulations mandating that fish must be big enough to be caught and live where fishermen work to be part of the fishable stock.
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT	Along with NOAA overseeing the fisheries management in the US, it is the responsibility of the individual states for fishery management from their coastline out to three miles. See NOAA.
FISHERY CONSERVATION ZONE (FCZ)	Zone of federal control of United States fisheries between territorial waters and a distance of 200 nautical miles as defined in the F-MA.
FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCILS	The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) is the main law that governs fishing in U.S. federal waters, ranging from 3 to 200 miles offshore. First passed in 1976, the MSA established a 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and created eight regional fishery management councils to manage our nation’s marine fishery resources. This unprecedented management system gives fishery managers the flexibility to use local level input to develop management strategies appropriate for each region’s unique fisheries, challenges, and opportunities.
FOOD & AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO)	United Nations organization founded in 1945 with a mandate to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, to improve agricultural productivity, and to better the condition of rural populations. FAO is active in land and water development, plant and animal production, forestry, fisheries, economic and social policy, investment nutrition, food standards, and commodities and trade.
FOOD & ALGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO)	Founded in 1945 it has 183 member countries and one member organization, the European Community. FAO is one of the largest specialized agencies in the United Nations and its program on fisheries aims to promote their sustainable development through implementation of its Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. The FAO compiles and makes available a number of different statistical data sets related to fish and fisheries, which are available online. FAO also regularly publishes its flagship State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) report, a 200 page report detailing production and consumption trends and offering analysis and constructive comment.
FORAGE SPECIES	Species used as prey by a larger predator for its food. Includes small schooling fishes such as anchovies, sardines, herrings, capelin, smelts, and menhaden, and invertebrates such as squid.
FREE-DIVING	Also known as breath hold diving, this is a method of diving without the assistance of any breathing apparatus. The diver simply holds ones breath and submerges possibly using a snorkel, mask, flippers, weight belt and a wet suit. The method is sometimes used to collect fishery resources in shallow waters.
FREEZER TRAWLER	A large trawler that is equipped with a freezer aboard to store fish and reach the most distant waters.
FRESH VS. REFRESH	Refresh is when an item is frozen after being caught and then thawed out for sale as a fresh application. Seafood thawed from frozen should carry a “refreshed” or “previously frozen” label. This is common, Griffis says, because factors such as supply and demand, fishing seasons and the amount of time between capture and the plate make it difficult to maintain freshness without freezing.
FROZEN AT SEA (FAS)	Seafood is headed and gutted on the boat, then packaged and frozen.
GASTROPODS	Snails and other mollusks that typically hold a coiled shell and a ventral creeping foot. Various gastropods include abalone, Queen conch, and cones.
GEOSMIN	An earthy-/musty-smelling chemical compound. Released by the blue-green algae, cyanobacteria, it affects the taste and odor of water.
GHOST FISHING	Lost or discarded fishing gear polluting our oceans and seas, continuing to entangle or trap aquatic animals.
GILLNET OR ENTANGLING NET	See DRIFTING GILLNET.
GLAZING	Seafood is frozen in single units and is often glazed with water. Although this can act as a naturally protective coating to prevent dehydration and freezer burn, glazing can add 4-10 percent to the weight of seafood.
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS)	A system for finding three-dimensional coordinates on the earth using satellites.
GROUNDFISH	A species or group of fish that live on or near the sea bottom, including cod, redfish, turbot and flounder.
H&G	Short for headed and gutted. H&G is often referred to as 'dressed' fish.
HABITAT	The environment where an organism naturally occurs or the place one would go to find it.
HARPOON OR HARPOON GEAR	A pointed dart attached to a pole and tethered to a flotation device by several hundred feet of line. Today, the harpoon has become little more than a nostalgic method of landing fish.
HAUL NET	Used to encircle or ring a school of fish, the haul net is typically operated from a small boat in shallow water. The ropes are short and the net is pulled in by hand.
HAZARD ANALYSIS CRITICAL CONTROL POINT (HACCP)	An abbreviation for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. This is a food safety system in which every step in the manufacture, storage and distribution of a food product is scientifically analyzed for microbiological, physical and chemical hazards. HACCP is overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Suppliers are required to create and implement a program detailing all points in their production process where hazards exist. This includes training people and monitoring conditions to assure product safety. In addition to manufacturer protocols, Gordon Food Service also has a HACCP plan in place to validate seafood safety.
HOOK AND LINE	Landing fish by hook and line has been in existence for centuries. The hook and line method is where the fish are attracted by either a natural or artificial bait placed on a hook fixed to the end of a line on which they get caught. This type of harvesting can be separated into four categories: hand lines, pole and lines, troll lines, and longlines or set lines.
INCIDENTAL CATCH OR BY-CATCH	Part of a catch of a fishing unit taken incidentally in addition to the target species towards which the fishing effort is directed. Some or all of it may be returned to the sea as discards, usually dead or dying.
INDIVIDUAL TRANSFERRABLE QUOTA (ITQ)	A quota of a total allowable catch assigned to an individual, a vessel or a company.
INSHORE WATERS	Waters of the shallower part of the continental shelf.
IPW	Individually polywrapped.
IQF	Individually quick frozen. Each piece of product is separate from every other.
JIGGING	A method of fishing that utilizes a rod and reel in such a way, moved up and down, to present lures. Largely used to catch squid at night.
JOINT VENTURE	A cooperative operation between two or more companies, many times from different countries.
KRILL	From the Norwegian word meaning “young fish” and is now commonly used as the common term for euphausids, a family of crustaceans found throughout the world oceans. There are 85 species of krill, some of which are exploited commercially.
LANDINGS	The weight of what is landed at a particular site, excluding discards.
LAYER PACKS	Product, usually fillets, are put into a carton in layers with a sheet of polyethylene between each layer of product. This enables the fish to be separated easily while still frozen, so avoiding the waste of time and product involved in thawing blocks when less than the full block is required. Layer packs provide better product protection than IQF since less of the product is exposed to the air and the risk of dehydration is reduced. Layer packs are also easier to stack and handle in storage and transportation than IQF packs.
LIMITED ENTRY FISHERY	Fishery where the number of operators is restricted to control total landings. The system is managed by controls on the number and size of vessels and conditions relating to the transfer of fishing rights or the replacement of vessels.
LINE FISHING	See Hook and line.
Long Line	A fishing technique using a line that’s sometimes miles long. The main line is kept afloat, and short lines with thousands of baited hooks are suspended at a predetermined depth.
MARICULTURE MARINE FISH FARMING	1. Marine fish farming (aquaculture). Raising of marine animals and plants in the ocean; 2. The raising of marine finfish or shellfish under some controls. Ponds, pens, tanks, or other containers may be used, and feed is often used. A hatchery is also mariculture but the fi h are released before harvest size is reached.
MARINE PROTECTED AREA (MPA)	Geographic area with discrete boundaries that has been designated to enhance the conservation of marine resources. This includes MPA-wide restrictions on some activities such as oil and gas mining and the use of zones such as fishery and ecological reserves to provide higher levels of protection.
MARINE RECREATIONAL FISHERIES STATISTICAL SURVEY (MRFFS)	An annual national survey conducted by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), in cooperation with the coastal states, to estimate the number, catch, and effort of recreational fishermen. It serves as a basis for many parts of fisheries management plans (FMPs).
MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (ASC)	An international non-profit organization that certifies wild seafood and recognizes and rewards efforts to protect oceans and safeguard seafood supplies for the future. The MSC Blue Label is only applied to wild fish or seafood from fisheries certified to the MSC standard, a scientific measure of sustainable fishing.
MECHANIZED DREDGE	This gear digs mollusks out of the bottom by means of powerful underwater jets. The mollusks collected are sometimes transferred into the boat carrying the dredge by a conveyor-belt type device or by suction.
MERCURY	A heavy metal occurring naturally in some seafood. It tends to accumulate and so is higher in creatures such as tuna and swordfish which live a long time.
METRIC TON	1,000 kilograms or about 2,204 pounds.
MIDWATER TRAWLS	A trawl employed from the surface to great depth to target pelagic species depending on the position of the fish. Typically, much larger than a bottom trawl, the trawl is a cone-shaped net with a wide mouth that tapers into a narrow end where the fish collect. The fishing depth is usually controlled by means of a net sounder and may be towed by one or two boats.
MOLLUSK	Invertebrates with a soft, unsegmented body, a muscular foot, and, with some exceptions, a calcareous shell. Includes the oyster, clam, mussel, snail, conch, scallop, squid, and octopus.
MORTALITY	The death rate or the total number of deaths within a given population of fish. Death can arise from pollution, starvation and disease, but the two main sources of death are predation and fishing.
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA)	Passed by Congress in 1969, NEPA requires Federal agencies to consider the environment when making decisions regarding their programs. Section 102(2)(C) requires Federal agencies to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) before taking major Federal actions that may significantly affect the quality of the human environment. The EIS includes the environmental impact of the proposed action, any adverse environmental effects which cannot be avoided should the proposed action be implemented, alternatives to the proposed action, the relationship between local short-term uses of the environment and long-term productivity, and any irreversible commitments of resources which would be involved in the proposed action should it be implemented.
NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS)	Federal agency within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and responsible for overseeing fisheries science and regulation of the fisheries.
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)	A bureau within the Department of Commerce responsible for atmospheric, ocean, and coastal sciences and Federal management. manages the United States fisheries within 200 miles from our coastlines under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), creating the best managed fisheries in the world. While not a certification, you will see seafood labeled as “from the US”. NOAA’s FishWatch.gov website has good information and resources for consumers to learn about different species – both wild and farmed.
NATIONAL STANDARD 1	Enforcement of "optimum yield" to prevent overfishing to provide the greatest overall benefit to the Nation.
NATIONAL STANDARD 10	“Conservation and management measures shall, to the extent practicable, promote the safety of human life at sea.”
NATIONAL STANDARD 2	Conservation and management measures shall be based upon the best scientific information available.
NATIONAL STANDARD 3	“To the extent practicable, an individual stock of fish shall be managed as a unit throughout its range, and interrelated stocks of fish shall be managed as a unit or in close coordination.”
NATIONAL STANDARD 4	“Conservation and management measures shall not discriminate between residents of different states. If it becomes necessary to allocate or assign fishing privileges among various U.S. fishermen, such allocation shall be (a) fair and equitable to all such fishermen; (b) reasonably calculated to promote conservation; and (c) carried out in such manner that no particular individual, corporation, or other entity acquires an excessive share of such privileges.”
NATIONAL STANDARD 5	“Conservation and management measures shall, where practicable, consider efficiency in the utilization of fishery resources; except that no such measure shall have economic allocation as its sole purpose.”
NATIONAL STANDARD 6	“Conservation and management measures shall take into account and allow for variations among, and contingencies in, fisheries, fishery resources, and catches.”
NATIONAL STANDARD 7	“Conservation and management measures shall, where practicable, minimize costs and avoid unnecessary duplication.”
NATIONAL STANDARD 8	“Conservation and management measures shall, consistent with the conservation requirements of this Act (including the prevention of overfishing and rebuilding of overfished stocks) take into account the importance of fishery resources to fishing communities in order to (a) provide for the sustained participation of such communities, and (b) to the extent practicable, minimize adverse economic impacts on such communities.”
NATIONAL STANDARD 9	“Conservation and management measures shall, to the extent practicable, (a) minimize bycatch; and (b) to the extent bycatch cannot be avoided, minimize the mortality of such bycatch.” The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has defined the term “to the extent practicable” to include a consideration of the effects of reducing bycatch and bycatch mortality on the overall benefit to the Nation.
NEKTON	Pelagic organisms that are free-swimming and so whose movements are independent of the tides, currents, and waves. Such animals include fish, whales, squids, crabs, and shrimps. The distribution of nekton is limited by temperature and nutrient supply and decreases with decreasing depth.
NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND ASSESSMENT (NOVA)	Tickets and penalties issued by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of General Counsel to fishermen, whom are in violation of fishing regulations.
OCEAN RUN OR SEA RUN	Any product packed as caught without grading for size.
OLYMPIC FISHING	A popular term to denote the “race-to-fish” phenomenon which is characterized by an increasing number of highly efficient vessels fi shing at an increasing pace, with season length becoming shorter and shorter.
OMEGA-3	A class of essential fatty acids found in fish oils. Fatty acids the body needs for many functions, from muscle activity to cell growth. There are two different Omega-3's in fish oil called DHA and EPA. Omega-3 lowers the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood. Omega-3's have remarkable benefits for depression, diabetes, anxiety, arthritis, etc. It is important to note that farmed fish although higher in Omega-3s, come with high levels of saturated and polyunsaturated fats.
OTTER TRAWL	Often referred to as dragging, this is one of the most important and commonly used techniques for fish harvesting. Operated by a single vessel, the trawl uses two otter boards that are attached to the wings of the trawl by bridles. The otter boards, utilizes the force acting on them when the net is dragged, spread the mouth of the trawl horizontally while a combination of floats and weights maintain the vertical opening.
OVERFISHED	A stock is considered "overfished" when fishing mortality rates remain high enough to cause the population to decline to a point that the spawning stock is unable to reproduce those fish taken by the fishery.
OVERFISHING	Catching too many fish. The harvesting of a specific species of fish beyond a level that will allow the population to be replaced by reproduction.
OYSTER SHUCKING KNIFE
PACIFIC STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION (PSFMC)	The PSMFC is a non-regulatory agency that serves Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington providing information in the form of data services for various fisheries. PSMFC acts as communication between the Pacific Fishery Management Council and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. It is also a source for Federal funding of regional fishery projects.
PAIR TRAWLING	A trawl operated by two boats, towing one net either at the bottom or mid-water. Typically, this method is done using very large nets and is rarely used in current practice.
PARALYTIC SHELLFISH POISONING (PSP)	Poisoning in humans after consuming bivalve mollusks that have accumulated dangerous levels of neurotoxins from plankton. The medical definition for shellfish poisoning is characterized by numbness and tingling, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, muscle weakness, and sometimes paralysis.
PARASITES	There are three types of fish parasites of importance; roundworms (nematodes), flatworms or flukes (trematodes) and tapeworms (cestodes). Infected humans are considered an accidental host. Cooking fish thoroughly should eliminate concerns of parasites. Sushi grade fish must be processed for parasite destruction.
PBO/PBI	An acronym for pin bone out/in. The pinbones are a row of fine bones extending horizontally along the midline of a fillet, running from the nape of the fish for about one-third of its length.
PELAGIC FISH	Fish that live either alone or in schools that spend most of their life swimming near the sea surface or in the water column with little contact with the bottom. Fish in this category include tuna, swordfish, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and shad.
PINBONES	A row of small bones running horizontally along the mid-line of the sides of most fish from the nape for about one third the length of the fish.
PINNIPED	Of or belonging to the Pinnipedia, a suborder of carnivorous aquatic mammals that includes the seals, walruses, and similar animals having finlike flippers used for locomotion.
POLYCULTURE	Fish farming in which two or more compatible or symbiotic species of fish are grown together. It is also known as multi-culture.
PORTION PACK	Product graded so that all pieces in a package are of specified weight or within a specified range of weights.
POSTLARVAE	Animals that have changed from the larval form to the very first stages of juvenile or adult form.
POT VESSEL	A fishing vessel, ranging in size from small inshore boats up to larger factory trawlers, used to set pots for the capture of lobsters, crabs, crayfish and other similar shellfish species.
POTS	Traps in which fish and shellfish can enter voluntarily and will be hampered from escaping. They are designed in such a manner that the entrance itself becomes a non-return device, allowing the fish or shellfish to enter the trap but making it impossible to leave the catching chamber.
POUND NET	A very long net, typically anchored or strung between stakes, used to catch fish. Open at the surface, the trap consists of an arrangement of nets directing fish into an enclosure. In Japan, this group of gear is usually referred to as 'set-nets' (not to be confused with the fixed gillnets).
PRACTICAL SALINITY UNIT (PSU)	A unit of measurement of salinity similar to parts per thousand (ppt).
PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (PEIS)	An environmental impact statement (EIS) that applies to an entire program or management regime, rather than a specific action.
PROTECTED AREA	A geographically defined area set aside to achieve specific conservation objectives ranging from the preservation and protection of highly important natural and cultural features and for the regulation of the scientific, educational and recreational use.
PUD	Shrimp that is peeled but not deveined. Peeled-only shrimp.
PULSE FISHING	Harvesting a stock of fish, then moving on to other stocks or waiting until the original stock recovers.
PURSE SEINE OR SEINE NET	A seine is a very long net with or without a bag in the center. It can be set from either the shore or from a boat in an attempt to surround a certain area. Seines are normally used to catch schooling pelagic species such as mackerel, tuna, sardines, salmon, herring and menhaden. A wall of net is used to encircle a school of fish. The top is floated and the bottom weighted in order to keep the wall in an upright position. Essentially, the fishermen close off the bottom of the net in order to trap the fish in an inverted, umbrella-shaped enclosure.
Quota	A mandated limit usually controlled at a government level. It controls how much of a product can be fished by country, vessel, company or individual during a specific time period. Quotas are used to allocate fishing effort and control populations. Quotas may be transferable, inheritable and tradable. Quotas can affect the availability or price of fresh seafood products.
RECRUITMENT	The influx of fish into the exploitable stock by either growth or migration into the fishing area.
RED TIDE	A group of planktons which cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. Proliferation of marine plankton that is toxic and often fatal to fi sh. This natural phenomenon is stimulated by phosphorus and other nutrients that are discharged into waterways by human beings. The color of the tide can be red, yellow, green, or brown.
REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ACT (RFA)	The RFA requires that fishery management plans undergo a regulatory flexibility analysis. Enacted in 1980 to reduce the burden of regulatory and record-keeping requirements on small businesses organizations.
REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ANALYSIS	Conducted for each fishery management plan (FMP) to study the costs and benefits that the plan may have on an individual small business or organization (e.g. a single fi shing vessel). The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) mandates this analysis and allows it to be combined with the draft regulatory impact review (RIR).
REGULATORY IMPACT REVIEW (RIR)	A regulatory impact review (RIR) is required by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for all regulatory actions of public interest. It is the basis for determining whether any proposed regulations are a “significant regulatory action” under certain criteria provided in Executive Order 12866 and whether the proposed regulations will have a “significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities” in compliance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA).
ROUND WEIGHT	The weight of the whole fish before processing or removal of any part.
SALMON KNIFE	have a very long, flexible blade with a double edge, and are designed to fillet larger fish. Salmon knives are slim and sharp to allow for precise filleting and skin removal, and many designs also have indentations along the side of the blade.
SALTON-KENNEDY ACT (SK FUNDS)	The Saltonstall-Kennedy Act allocates 30% of the collected duties for imported fishery products to technological, biological, marketing, and other research and services in order to promote the free flow of domestically produced fishery products and to develop markets for domestic fishery products.
SANTOKU KNIFE	originally called santoku bocho knives, meaning ‘three uses’ —are great for precise cutting, dicing and mincing. One of the most popular types of kitchen knives in their native Japan, santoku knives have long, slightly tapered blades with a drop point to allow for more precise, intricate cutting work. They usually have dimpling along the blade to prevent food from sticking to the metal.
SASHIMI	Thinly sliced fish or shellfish that is eaten raw. Many incorrectly believe this word to be a grading for sushi-grade products.
SCALLOPED KNIFE	a mix between slicing and paring knives. They feature scalloped edges and blades that are slightly longer than standard paring knives.
SCAMPI	Small, clawed marine lobsters belonging to the family Nephropidae.
SCIENTIFIC AND STATISTICAL COMMITTEE (SSC)	An advisory committee of a regional fishery management council (FMC) composed of scientists, economists, and other technical experts. The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that each council maintain an SSC to assist in gathering and analyzing statistical, biological, ecological, economic, social, and other scientific information that is relevant to the management of council fisheries.
SEAFOOD WATCH	Monterey Bay Aquarium provides recommendations on seafood that’s fished or farmed in ways that have less impact on the environment. While not a certification, signs may be placed in the store or restaurant.
SECRETATIAL FISHEERY MANAGEMENT PLAN	A plan developed by the Secretary of Commerce in response to an emergency, a council’s failure to act, or for highly migratory species.
SERRATED FILLET KNIFE	this flexible, serrated filleting knife is designed to work around fragile bones and cuts cleanly through meat and fish without tearing or ripping.
SET GILLNET	The only commercially important method in the United States, set nets are more commonly found in the inshore fisheries and put out along the seafloor to catch groundfish. They are deployed vertically where fish will gill, entangle or enmesh. Gillnets have floats on the upper line and weights on the bottom to keep the net in an upright position.
SET LONGLINE	A set longline consists of a main line and snoods with baited hooks at regular intervals and which is set, in general, on or near the bottom. The main advantage of longlining is the ability to fish a larger area with fewer people onboard.
SHATTER PACK	A carton of frozen fillets packed in layers separated by sheets of plastic. This allows individual fillets to be removed without thawing the entire box. Individual fillets can be separated by dropping (“shattering”) the carton on a hard surface.
SHELLFISH	Shellfish include both mollusks and crustaceans.
SHOALING FISH	Species of relatively small (usually pelagic) fish that congregate in large schools, such as anchoveta and sardines.
SHRIMP DEVEINER/PEELER	A devein knife can be used to clean shrimp of waste. The devein knife, sometimes called a devein tool, is a small sharp knife with a narrow tip. In fact, the widest part of the knife is right at the handle. The blade then gets progressively narrower until it merely forms a small sharp tip.
SKINNING PLIERS	Fish skinning pliers allow you to grip and remove skin and fins making fish cleaning much faster. Skinning pliers have spring loaded, self opening jaws for easy use.
SMOLT	A juvenile salmon when it leaves its home river for the first time to enter the sea.
Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STP)	An additive claiming to retain moisture in seafood and is typically used in twice-frozen items. These claims are heavily outweighed by health concerns for those consuming fish treated with STP as well as the added weight to the product in turn increasing cost for the consumer.
SPAT	The spawn of an oyster or shellfish that commence life as free-swimming individuals then settle onto solid substrate.
SPAWNING	The release of ova, fertilized or to be fertilized, as done by a number of aquatic species to reproduce.
SPECIES	A group of related organisms that share common characteristics and are able to breed together to produce fertile offspring.
STATUS DETERMINATION CRITERIA (SDC)	Objective and measurable criteria used to determine if a stock is being overfished or is in an overfished state according to National Standard Guidelines.
STERN TRAWLER	A fishing vessel designed for the purpose of operating a trawl, a net that is dragged along the ocean floor or at a specified depth.
STOCK ASSESSMENT	The process of collecting and analyzing biological and statistical information to determine the changes in the abundance of fishery stocks in response to fishing and, to the extent possible, to predict future trends of stock abundance. Stock assessments are based on resource surveys, knowledge of the habitat requirements, life history, and behavior of the species. Also used are environmental indices to determine impacts on stocks and catch statistics. Stock assessments are used as a basis to assess and specify the present and probable future condition of a fishery.
STOCK ASSSESSMENT AND FISHERY EVALUATION REPORT (SAFE)	A report that provides a summary of the most recent biological condition of a stock of fish and the economic and social condition of the recreational fishermen, commercial fishermen, and seafood processors who use the fi sh. The report provides information to the fishery management councils (FMCs) for determining harvest levels.
SUPER SEINER	A large purse seiner, usually more than 70 meters long and equipped with considerable freezing and storage facilities, capable of undertaking extended transoceanic voyages for harvesting fi sh.
SUPREME CUT	A supreme is a prime boneless cut from a fillet or loin which is cut either as a block-cut or bias-cut, and is considered the best and choicest cut of fish. Also called a pavé, a supreme cut removes all bones in the filet.
SURIMI	Originating from Japan, a product made from minced fish flesh made into a paste and flavored with an extract before being reformed into flakes, sticks or other shapes and colored. It is now a large industry in the U.S. Typically surimi is made from Pacific pollock, cod, hake, whiting, croaker, barracuda, striped mullet, and cuttlefish. It’s often molded into imitation crab legs, lobster chunks, shrimp, and scallops.
SUSHI GRADE	This is merely a marketing term. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires any fresh seafood used in sushi to be processed using a parasite destruction guarantee: freezing and storing seafood at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 7 days (total time), or freezing at -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at -31°F (-35°C) or below for 15 hours, or freezing at -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 24 hours.
SUSTAINABLE CATCH/YIELD	The number or weight of fish in a stock that can be harvested without compromising the stock biomass from year to year assuming that environmental conditions remain the same.
SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES ACT (SFA)	The SFA is a statute enacted in 1996 which amended the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Among its provisions were mandatory overfishing elimination and stock rebuilding, the establishment of a program to protect essential fish habitat, and the establishment of a new national standard for bycatch reduction.
SUSTAINABLE FISHING	Fishing activities that do not cause or lead to undesirable changes in the biological and economic productivity, biological diversity, or ecosystem structure and functioning from one human generation to the next.
TAGGING	Marking an individual or group of individuals in order to identify it when it will be recaptured. Tagging allows the study of growth, mortality and migration as well as the estimation of the stock size.
TARGET SPECIES	The most highly sought component of the catch targeted by the fishermen in a particular fishery. There may also be a secondary target species.
TASTELESS SMOKE	Carbon monoxide treated fish, also known as tasteless smoke, is a process by which loins are treated with the gas to prevent oxidation and enhance the appearance of the meat. The greatest concern to the use of tasteless smoke is the exposure to health concerns such as hepatitis A and salmonella.
TED	Turtle Excluder Device.
TEMPERATE WATERS	Waters in the region of higher, cooler latitudes rather than tropical latitudes. Literally, those between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle in the Northern Hemisphere and the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle in the Southern Hemisphere.
TEMPURA	A light Japanese-style batter becoming increasingly popular.
THE MAGNUSON-STEVENS ACT (MFCMA)	An act which requires that a fishery management plan and its regulations meet ten national standards designed to provide for the conservation and management of fisheries.
TOMALLEY	The digestive gland of a lobster located in the head. Tomalley turns green when cooked and is sometimes considered a delicacy as it is tasty and nutritious.
TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC)	The overall catch limit is set for a specific fishery during a specified time period. This is used to set individual quotas for countries, vessels, companies, or individuals licensed to harvest fish.
TRANSSHIPMENT	The process of transferring the catch from one fishing vessel to either another fishing vessel or to a vessel used solely for the movement of cargo to its final destination.
TRAP FISHING	Fishing by use of stationary nets, barrages or pots in which fish and shellfish can enter voluntarily and will be hampered from escaping.
TRAWL	The trawl is a cone-shaped net pulled through the water. It is one of the most efficient ways to harvest bottomfish, such as cod, haddock and shrimp.
TROLLING	A fishing method that adds motion to the baited hooks trailed near the surface behind a vessel. This method is used to target tuna.
VESSEL CATCH LIMITS	A limit on the quantity each individual vessel can land per trip or period of time.
VESSEL MONITORING SYSTEM (VMS)	A satellite communications system used to monitor fishing activities—for example, to ensure that vessels stay out of prohibited areas. The system is based on electronic devices (transceivers), which are installed on board vessels. These devices automatically send data to a shore-based “satellite” monitoring system.
VIBRO VULNIFICUS	A bacteria naturally present in marine organisms which can cause illness, or even death, if ingested. The bacteria is most prevalent in clams, oysters and scallops. Those with liver disease are more susceptible to illness.
WILD CAUGHT	Seafood captured in its natural environment. The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute notes these fish and shellfish have a natural life cycle and feed on a natural marine diet. Wild-caught fish have the benefit of not containing antibiotics, as wild fish don’t have the same risk of disease or infection as farmed seafood.
YEAR CLASS	The fish spawned or hatched in a given year. For example, all fish born in 2000 would be age 1 in 2001, and age 2 in 2002.