What’s Wrong With My Halibut?

Chalky vs. Mushy Halibut

How much does a pound of halibut cost in your neighborhood grocery store? If you can even find halibut for sale, it probably costs more than $20 per pound, and if you decided to buy it, you expect your butcher to hand you a perfect chunk of pristine, white fish. Pacific halibut is one of the most sought-after food fish in the world. When cooked, halibut has a subtle flavor and a flaky texture, but when fishermen report catching halibut with sub-prime flesh conditions, the news alarms sport and commercial fishermen, fish processors, chefs, and consumers. Chalky and mushy flesh conditions are the two biggest concerns for halibut caught in Alaska.

What is the difference between chalky and mushy halibut, and can a human safely eat the meat of a fish afflicted with either condition? The two flesh conditions might both look unappetizing, but they are very different from each other. One is caused by the rigors of an athlete trying to stay in the ocean and out of your boat, while the other is a sign of a malnourished fish. Let me explain in more detail.

Chalky Halibut

When an animal exerts itself, it uses oxygen to break down glucose and produce energy. During intense exercise, such as when a sprinter runs a race, he might not be able to breathe enough oxygen to complete the chemical process to produce energy. When the body does not have sufficient oxygen, it produces lactic acid, which your body can convert anaerobically (without oxygen) into energy. Producing…