PORTLAND, Maine (AP) _ It might not be time to rechristen Cape Cod as Cape Pollock, but the humble fish is staking its claim.
The Atlantic pollock has long played a role in New England's fishing industry as a cheaper alternative to cod and haddock. But the fish's role in America's oldest fishing industry has expanded as other stocks have faded.
In 2014, the fish made up a higher percentage of the New England groundfishing business' total value at the docks than the more recognized cod. Five years earlier, it accounted for less than half the value of cod.
Atlantic pollock's per-pound value increased by more than 75 percent in that time.
But the fish has an image problem. It's an uninspiring gray-pinkish color, and many confuse it with the very different Alaska pollock.