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From the deep Antarctic oceans arrives the new fish on the block.
Pearly white meat, loaded with omega oils and absolutely pure.
As written by Olga De Moeller* "It cooks up
a treat, battered or pan fried and tastes like whiting but without
the annoying fine bones. Icefish, from the remote waters of the
Sub-Antarctic was introduced to the WA market and is the first fish
to be certified by the International marine stewardship council
www.msc.org as
coming from a sustainable and well managed fishery. Found in some
of the worlds deepest and coldest waters off Heard and McDonald
Islands, it is high in omega -3 oils which act as a natural anti
freeze because the fish has no red blood cells.
David Carter, chief executive officer of Austral
Fisheries, one of only two Australian companies licensed to catch
icefish, said it would be in good supply this year but that the
company's 1200 tonne quota was not guaranteed in the future. It's
a delicate eating fish and is snap frozen on board to retain all
its nutrients and moisture".
"Icefish, about the size of a King George
Whiting, with pure-white flesh and a light, sweet flavour that is
not usually associated with oily fish."
The Ice on Icefish:-
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Living in some of the remotest, coldest waters
on our planet, icefish have evolved unique ways to survive
the climate, as well as natural predators which include seals,
penguins, Patagonian tooth fish and albatrosses
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They have no red blood cells and use high omega
3 oils in their flesh as a natural anti-freeze. In response
to their predators icefish grow very quickly and live for
only a few years with dramatic rises and falls in population
size
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Its common name is Mackerel Icefish and its scientific name
is Champsocephalus gunnari
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Fast growing and short lived
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Reported to depths of 350 metres
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Maximum size 38-40cm
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Maximum age 4 to 6 years
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Average length 24-34cm
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Average weight 100 to 200 grams
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Contains 0.63 of Omega-3 essential fatty acids
(EPA and DHA) in each 100gram fillet. This is a high level
of Omega 3 fatty acids, which have recognized and scientifically
documented health benefits from reducing high blood pressure
to combating arthritis.
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*Staff writer Fresh Section West Australian 27/04/06
"We Speak Fish"
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