fish report

The Golden Tilefish was unknown until May 1879, when Captain William H. Kerby of the schooner William V. Hutchins caught the first specimen south of Nantucket Lightship while working cod lines. When his crew found that the plentiful fish made a tasty meal, some of the specimens were salted down and taken to Gloucester where a portion of the catch was smoked.

Golden Tilefish are most abundant in water from 50 to 80 fathoms deep (300 to 480 ft) from Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, south to Cape May, New Jersey and are generally concentrated around the edges and slopes of submarine canyons adjacent to the outer continental shelf – a narrow band of real estate along the outer edge of the continental shelf where the sea floor is bathed by warm water from the Gulf Stream.

Golden Tilefish are shelter-seeking fish (presumably to avoid predators), and adults have been observed using rocks, ledges, and shipwrecks, along with horizontal and vertical burrows in the clay and silt substrates (with these colonial structures commonly referred to as ‘pueblo’ dwellings) of the upper slopes and flanks of offshore submarine canyons like the well known Hudson Canyon.

The golden tilefish fishery is carefully managed by NOAA’s Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and are considered not overfished, nor subject to overfishing.

Golden Tilefish predominately feed upon bottom-dwelling invertebrates such as crabs and lobsters, and has firm, pinkish white flesh that provides a lobster or crab-like taste. Once cooked, the meat is mild-flavored and succulent. and remains very moist after cooking.

Some comments we have heard:

“The fish was very moist, almost had butter like texture, with a nice crust from the sear. I would recommend trying this fish if you have the chance, its quite flavorful as well. Chef serves the fish on top of a ragu of local beans and fish stock, and fresh vegetables.”

“Steam this fish without any spice, dip it in drawn butter, and the taste is awesome! ”

“If you love lobster, you”ll love tilefish.”

A Golden Tilefish boat lands at Gosman’s Dock in Montauk, NY every few days throughout the year, and we now have the privilege of delivering these glorious creatures to chefs across the country year-round.

Enjoy.

Returning to their native streams through September, Alaska Wild Coho Salmon are prized for their bright silver color and firm red flesh. The second largest of the Salmon species, they average about 10 pounds. Some particularly beautiful Coho return to Alaska’s Kenai.

People can only travel to Seldovia Point , across Kachemak Bay from Homer on the Kenai Peninsula, by air or sea. With a year-round population of 286, it is home to one of the world’s great salmon runs. and we are lucky enough to have their Coho Salmon on the daily flight to Anchorage to meet the FedEx plane. We are delivering these silver beauties headed and gutted at $7.40/lb. Ocean bright Coho Salmon one day out of the water are a special treat. Chefs across the country have been singing their praise, and we strongly suggest you enjoy this last month of the Salmon season.

Our fishermen in Montauk, NY and Beaufort, NC have been day-boat landing with a bounty of fish. You can combine species to receive a minimum 25 pound box.

Wild fish, lovingly harvested, next day from the water: incomparable.

Ten years ago there was real fear for the demise of the magnificent Grouper and Snapper fishery of the Carolinas. Due to the efforts of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council things have changed. Through strict policy implementation some species are no longer overfished nor subject to overfishing. Our partners at the Blue Ocean Institute have revised the sustainable seafood ranking of many of the Carolina Groupers and Snappers to GREEN.

Jack Cox, David Tucker and many of the fishermen from Beaufort, NC are now landing beautiful Wahoo, Mahi-Mahi and Amberjack. These pelagics should be abundant through September. Some boats are fishing Grouper and Snapper now, and others will switch over next month. Finally chefs can serve sustainably managed, sustainably harvested Grouper and Snapper to the many diners (like me) who love those fish.

Coho Salmon and Halibut continue in abundance from Alaska, and fantastic fish continue to land in Montauk.

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful summer.

Good news from the gulf is a welcome relief that things might not be as bad as we feared. We may be looking at years instead of decades for the fishery to rebound from this disaster. The sustainable seafood movement often just focuses on the future of fish. It is not just about the fish. It is about the fishermen and the local fishing communities that are the backbone of a way of life all along our beautiful coasts. We need to recognize these communities and support their time honored traditions by eating their fish.

Michael and Sean visited Bryan and Asa Gosman in Montauk, NY last week, and were most impressed with the beautiful species landing at the dock. With the season peaking Swordfish and Bluefish are now landing in addition to Striped Bass, Yellowfin Tuna, Fluke, Porgy, and Scallops. You may combine a box of these species, and our chefs in the Northeast can enjoy local fish next day from the water for a price lower than many traditional seafood distributors (10% Local Discount).

Alaska Wild Salmon peak season continues as Coho landings increase. They can ship together with Sockeye, Halibut, and Pacific Cod.

Our friends at Blue Ocean Institute have affirmed that after strict management, many challenged species off the Carolinas have rebounded so well as to be green-listed . Jack Cox and the boys from Beaufort, NC can now offer Grouper and Snapper that is wild, sustainable, and direct.

As our business model has matured and we have developed strong relationships in a growing number of fisheries, we are able to offer our chef/partners a steady supply of many seasonal species. Shipping four days per week, Sea to Table delivers lovingly harvested seafood, next day direct from the fishery, without a premium price. With our new local fishery program, when FedEx can guarantee next day ground delivery (within about 300 miles), we offer a 10% discount. And if your fish must arrive before 10:30AM we can upgrade to Priority Overnight. Impossibly fresh fish, direct from the fishermen, at a competitive price.

This is shaping up as the best summer fishing season in recent memory, and we are anxious for you to take advantage. From Kenai, AK, everyday we are landing pristine Coho Salmon, and Halibut. From Beaufort, NC, everyday we are landing line-caught Snapper, Amberjack and Tuna. From Montauk Pont, NY everyday we are landing Dayboat Fluke, Striped Bass, and Scallops. All of these species are available for shipping four days each week through September.

In addition our fishermen are catching various other species as well.  Please give us a call anytime to see what other beautiful fish have landed on the dock to arrive at your restaurant tomorrow.

A new book, Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food by Paul Greenberg , was published last week to a great deal of buzz.  I look forward to reading it.  It is a sure sign that more and more people are paying attention to sustainable seafood.

This week we will see some fantastic fish from our various fisheries. Coho Salmon have now started along with Sockeye from Alaska’s Cook Inlet. Vermillion Snapper and Gag Grouper are being sustainably harvested in the Carolinas. Abundant line caught Striped Bass and Yellowfin Tuna are being landed off Montauk, NY. These are just some of the highlights of this wonderful season.

Michael and Sean joined 20 others sustainable seafood advocates in San Francisco last week for a meeting about the Future of Fish . Some very high powered brain-storming from these folks will likely result in real changes in the way fish get to market. Expect some significant news.

On July 19, 2010 President Obama signed an Executive Order establishing a comprehensive National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, Coasts, and Great Lakes. That Executive Order adopts the Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force and directs Federal agencies to take the appropriate steps to implement them. Prior to this new National Ocean Policy, the United States had a regulatory jumble of more than 140 different and often conflicting laws pertaining to ocean management, all of which were overseen by more than 20 separate agencies. What this new policy enables is a first holistic vision for the health of our ocean planet.

Please join me in celebrating this really good news for the ocean.

When Bob and Mary Gosman founded Gosman’s Dock in 1943, they likely were not thinking of how Montauk’s fishing community might be in 2010. When Michael Dimin was a small boy in the 1960′s, his father took him fishing in Montauk, introducing him to “old man (Bob) Gosman”. Now two generations later grandsons Asa and Bryan Gosman are still landing beautiful fish from the eastern tip of Long Island, and are packing for our chef/partners around the country. Dayboat Striped Bass, Scallops, Fluke, Monkfish, and Porgy will be shipping this week, soon followed by Bluefish and Swordfish. (and between Boston and Washington you get to take advantage of our 10% local discount; dayboat stripers h&g, next day from the water, at the restaurant for $6.21/lb)

Seldovia Point , on the Kenai Peninsula across Kachemak Bay from Homer, has a year-round population of 286 and is home to one of the world’s great salmon runs. One can only travel there by sea or air, and we are lucky enough to have their Sockeye Salmon on the daily flight to Anchorage to meet the FedEx plane. We are now able to deliver these red beauties headed and gutted at $7.70/lb.

Spectacular fish continue to land at Beaufort, NC where David Tucker will pack 25 pound boxes of combined species.

The Wall Street Journal ran an article last week recognizing the importance of the sustainable seafood for companies both big and small. Glad they are finally catching on.

The first inkling of good news from Louisiana about possibly capping the spill is a welcome but tenuous relief. Next Monday in New York our dear friend Mary Cleaver of the Cleaver Company and Green Table is running a benefit to support Gulf fishermen . Hope to see you there.