Fish and Seafood

Fact Sheets

Roundnose Grenadier / Roughhead Grenadier

Coryphaenoides rupestris / Macrourus berglax

Grenadier belongs to the family Macrouridae, close relatives of the cod (Gadidae) family. They are a very deepwater species, living near sea bottom in the subarctic to the Antarctic regions. In the western North Atlantic, they are found in the Davis Strait off Labrador, the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, and the Georges Bank off Nova Scotia, frequently as a bycatch of the Greenland turbot fishery. It is taken by bottom trawl and mid-water trawl and is commonly from 60 to 70 centimetres long. Principal landing season is May to December.

There are nine species of grenadier found in Canadian waters, but only two are of commercial interest. Both species are recognizable by their large heads, tapering bodies, whip-like tails, and sharp scales. Processing has been a problem in the past because the scales have worn out blades, knives and even conveyor belts. Yield is also a problem; removing the head and tail reduces yield to just 20 per cent in the form of a fillet that is long and paper thin at one end and as much as an inch in thickness at the other.

The grenadier's tough exterior, however, protects some of the whitest and most flavourful flesh swimming. In addition to its snow-white meat and firm texture, grenadier also has a remarkably sweet and succulent taste because it feeds primarily on shrimp, small fish and squid. An informal taste panel found that grenadier stacked up well in comparison with other white fish - equal to cod and orange roughy and much preferred over Alaska pollock, whiting and New Zealand hoki. Like cod, grenadier can stand up well under sauces, is ideal for pan-baked preparations and is the perfect fish for frying.

List of Canadian suppliers of grenadier

NOTE: These processors are volume wholesalers and are not usually set up to deal directly with consumers.

Source: Department of Fisheries and Oceans