tidbits

Pajo's Fish and Chips have become a name synonymous with great food and service. We are a privately owned company and have been in business for over 20 years. Pajo's Fish and Chips operates four diverse locations showcasing the best quality Wild Pacific Coast seafood and fresh locally available B.C. produce, which is extremely important to us. When we combine our excellent product along with outstanding customer service, cleanliness and a wonderful atmosphere, we provide an unrivaled experience.

We use top quality and it shows. The species of fish that Pajo's uses for our Fish and Chips are all caught in Pacific Coast waters. WE USE ONLY WILD FISH.

»» pacific halibut
»» pacific cod
»» pacific chum salmon
»» yellowfin tuna

This fish is similar and closely related to the Atlantic halibut, hippoglossus hippoglossus, although it is generally smaller. Nonetheless, halibut is the largest of all flatfish and can stretch up to 8 feet long and 4 feet across and weigh more than 600 pounds (although such sizes are exceptional) and commands the highest price of any flatfish. Pacific halibut ranges the ocean from California to the Bering Sea and westward to Russia and the Sea of Japan. The majority of the resource lies in waters adjacent to British Columbia and Alaska where it is taken by longliners.

Thanks to changes in resource management, the days of "derby" fishing (where short fishing periods created situations where vessels actually sank under the weight of fish caught) are over, replaced by an individual vessel quota system that stretches the fishing season over the year. Now, fresh halibut moves into markets throughout the year, although the principal season remains the May-November period.

Pacific halibut is a medium-fat fish whose flesh is glossy white (almost translucent) and firm. Halibut retains its moisture well when it is frozen and keeps its texture when cooked. It is a very versatile fish available in a variety of product forms - headed and gutted, as steaks, fillets, loins, roasts and in a boneless fillet form called "fletches".

One of the most desirable of the North Pacific Ocean's groundfish, the Pacific cod is also known as grey cod, true cod or P-cod. It is similar to the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), colored brown to grey on the back, lighter on the sides, with a belly shading grey to white, and has the typical chin barbel of the cod. Typically 60 centimeters in length with a weight of 2.5 to 3.6 kilograms, the Pacific cod ranges the entire western coast of Canada and is harvested year round by trawls, longlines and pots.

Atlantic and Pacific cod are often not separately distinguished in the marketplace and are frequently used interchangeably; however, Pacific cod has a moisture content a little higher than that of Atlantic cod, making it less firm. Otherwise, the cooked meat is white, lean and flaky with a mild taste.

It is often difficult to distinguish one species of salmon from another, especially if the head of the fish has been removed. Silver-bright chum and sockeye can sometimes be confused, but the chum has a much narrower caudal peduncle (the slender "wrist" where the tail fin joins the body) than the sockeye. "Silver-bright" is the commonly used term for top quality ocean-run chum; the skin on this fish is shiny silver. "Silver-brights" should not be confused with "silver salmon" which is another name for Coho. The flesh colour of chum salmon also varies, depending on the maturity of the fish but also, it seems, on its river of origin. Most silver-bright chums have reddish-pink flesh.

Also known as Allison Tuna and Ahi Tuna... Yellowfin tuna adults are distinguished by having a moderately long pectoral fin that is one third to one quarter the body fork length. In juveniles there are about 20 broken pale lines crossing the lower sides. In large fish, the second dorsal and anal fins may be exceedingly elongated and bright yellow. A beautiful and colourful tuna. Blue to steel black above, silver to silvery gold on the flanks, silvery white below. In fresh fish a band of bright gold or iridescent blue (sometimes both) runs along the upper flank, separating the dark back from the lighter belly area. Yellowfin is a very good eating fish. It is extremely good as sashimi (raw fish). Yellowfin Tuna are found close inshore, in clean warm currents, but are more common on the Continental Shelf areas. They prefer clean water with water temperatures of 17-27ºC. They rarely venture into dirty, discoloured areas. Yellowfin are extremely powerful.