Cutting the Net : A Flood of Alaskan Pollock Spills into the Ship’s Hold

A Little Wisdom Helps You Become Smarter !

In this video, a fishing crew is harvesting Alaskan pollock (known as 明太鱼 in East Asia) from the icy waters of the North Pacific. Watch as they haul a massive net bursting with fish onto the deck. A worker cuts open the net, releasing thousands of silvery pollock into the ship’s lower hold. But why dump them this way?

This method prioritizes speed and freshness. Alaskan pollock spoil rapidly, so the fish are funneled directly into refrigerated holds or onboard processing lines, where they’re cleaned, frozen, or turned into surimi (fish paste) within hours. The ship’s lower decks act as a giant cold chain—some vessels blast liquid nitrogen during the drop to lock in quality.

You’ll also notice some fish spilling onto the deck. Crews manually sort these to remove bycatch (like jellyfish or crabs) and check for damaged fish. Every step is optimized: cutting the net avoids crushing the delicate roe (used for 明太子 spicy caviar), while rapid chilling preserves the firm texture needed for products like fish sticks or sushi toppings.

Fun fact: Over 3 million tons of pollock are caught yearly, making this one of the world’s largest fisheries. Next time you eat fish tacos or Korean bugeo dried snacks, remember this high-speed dance of nets, knives, and icy precision !