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Seafood Watch - Seafood Guide

Imitation Crab (Alaska Pollock)

SEAFOOD	RATING	MARKET NAMES	WHERE CAUGHT	HOW CAUGHT
Imitation Crab (Alaska Pollock)		Surimi, Imitation Lobster, Kanikama	Alaska	Wild-caught
Imitation Crab (not made from Alaska Pollock)		Surimi, Imitation Lobster, Kanikama	Worldwide	Wild-caught

Imitation Crab

Imitation crab is made from white-fleshed fish that’s ground and made into a paste and then colored, formed and cooked to mimic crab legs. It’s also called surimi or kanikama when prepared for sushi.

Consumer Note

Imitation crab

- a minced fish paste - is also called surimi or kanikama when prepared for sushi.

Summary

Approximately half of the surimi produced worldwide is made from Alaska pollock. Alaska pollock is a “Good Alternative” and is certified as sustainable to the standard of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)

.

Imitation crab or surimi made from other species is a more complicated story. Other fish that are used in surimi include sardine, mackerel, barracuda, striped mullet, threadfin bream, Atka mackerel, hoki, blue whiting, Pacific whiting and cod. These may not or may not be caught using environmentally responsible fishing methods.

When you know the fish used to make surimi, use the Seafood Watch recommendation for that species. When specific information is unavailable, or when pollock is used, this product is ranked as a “Good Alternative.”

Scientific Reports About Our Ratings

Alaska Pollock (Walleye Pollock) Seafood Watch Report

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