January 31, 2014 — When it was announced last week that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration changed the scientific name for Alaska pollock, also known as Walleye pollock, to cod, it set off a panic in the industry.
The change — from Theragra chalcogramma to Gadus chalcogrammus — came after genetic studies found that pollock’s family tree was closer to Pacific, Atlantic and Greenland cods. In fact, pollock is more closely related to Atlantic cod than other cod species.
However, the panic may be premature.
“The process for changing a scientific name is pretty involved and changing the name of this species of pollock is not a done deal yet. There are a lot of commercial implications involved with this and it must be vetted through international organizations like the World Trade Organization, the FAO and the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. It also must be considered domestically by the Food and Drug Administration,” said Marjorie Mooney-Seus, NOAA communications officer. “So, for the time being, pollock should still be labeled as pollock.
Read the full story at SeafoodSource.com