Snapper

Among all the ways to celebrate the holidays, we can't help but be partial to the Mediterranean tradition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes, a seafood-centric dinner that takes place on Christmas Eve. Where we come from, any celebration is a good excuse to eat fish, and so come Christmastime we make a point to get in touch with our Italian side.

It's easy to eat fish, but not always easy to know what fish to choose, so we're offering up recommendations for a sustainable seafood feast. We planned this meal with special consideration for the hard-working independent fishermen that brave the seas to bring us our fish, and so each of our choices represents a fishing community worthy of our support and recognition.

Our hope this holiday season is that whether you're preparing a multi-course meal or a humble supper, sustainable and traceable seafood becomes a staple in your kitchen.

1) Atlantic Pollock from Portland, Maine

Though Atlantic Cod has seen hard times, there's plenty of sustainable species still swimming in the Gulf of Maine. One is Atlantic Pollock. A close cousin of Cod, our fisherman friend Terry Alexanderdescribes it as "a good eatin' fish." Best of all, this under-appreciated species drives profit back to traditional New England fishing communities.

2) Squid from Point Judith, Rhode Island

We love a good calamari, but why fry up the tasteless imported squid proliferating the marketplace when you could eat local? Frying up a sustainably managed fresh squid from the waterfront village of the Port of Galilee is a surefire way to rediscover a classic dish.

3) Blue Crab from Cambridge, Maryland

J.M. Clayton is the oldest working crab house in the country. During blue crab season, the fifth-generation family business picks thousands of pounds of crabs bought directly from Chesapeake watermen. No one does it better, and we wouldn't imagine getting our crab elsewhere.

4) Mahi-Mahi from Beaufort, North Carolina

Rapid growing and fast breeding, Atlantic mahi-mahi in many ways epitomizes the perfect sustainable fish. They're abundant along the East Coast, especially in the Mid-Atlantic off of North Carolina's Cape Hatteras, where the Labrador and Gulf Stream currents converge to create a wall of water that's ideal for fishing.

5) Gulf White Shrimp from Port St. Joe, Florida

Wild-caught domestic shrimp gets our vote for the fifth course of our fishy feast. Gulf Shrimp is unmatched in sweet, briny flavor and caught sustainably using special by-catch reduction devices. We especially favor the shrimp landing at Wood's Fisheries in Port St. Joe, Florida, a thriving family-run dock that welcomes the Gulf's best shrimping vessels.

6) American Red Snapper from Destin, Florida

American Red Snapper is one of our favorite fishery comeback stories. A mere decade ago the Gulf fishing community was in trouble due to poorly managed fish stocks and an influx of imported seafood. Now the fishery is sustainably managed using individual fishing quotas (IFQs), and Florida fisherman land abundant American Red Snapper four or five days a week.

7) Pacific Cod from Homer, Alaska

A sustainable alternative to Atlantic Cod on the east coast, Alaska's thriving Pacific Cod fishery is among the best managed in the world. Fishermen harvest Pacific Cod with pots, a method with zero by-catch that does no harm to the sea floor. That's a fish worth eating.

Congressional Republicans are lining up against the possibility that the Environmental Protection Agency would block the proposed pebble mine. California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, the House oversight committee chairman, and Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, say the EPA doesn't have authority to pre-emptively veto permits.

Could agribusiness giants Cargill and Monsanto be behind this with their big push, selling genetically-modified (GMO) soy product as salmon farm fish feed? They best be careful as the same group of attorneys that successfully sued Big Tobacco have set their sights on Big Food. Meanwhile PBS’s Frontline featured the threat to Bristol Bay’s wild sockeye salmon culture by the pebble mine. If only the salmon could speak for themselves.

Last week we paid a visit to shrimpers and fishermen on the Florida Panhandle. The Wood family started fishing there in 1860, and Grandpa Wood decided to try his hand at shrimping in 1950. Now Ed Wood directs a company that is the second largest employer in Port St. Joe, after the school district. You can still find his father, Buddy, at Wood's Fisheries 7 days a week, maintaining their state-of-the-art IQF freezing equipment. Shrimpers in the Gulf haven't had it easy in the past several years, a fact Wood contributes primarily to the influx of farmed shrimp from Asia. Just as the American wild shrimp industry started bouncing back, the BP oil spill happened. But Ed is looking to the future, and he buys only the highest quality wild shrimp, frozen at sea and untouched by preservatives or additives. "Ultimately," says Wood, "you have to consider the human component of sustainability as well as the environmental." One shrimp boat captain attested, "Ed supported me when I didn't even have shoes on my feet." Now his boat, the F/V Patricia Lee, is considered one of the finest shrimping vessels on the Gulf.

In Destin, we visited another family-run business, Harbor Docks. The Morgan family started Harbor Docks restaurant in 1979. A few years later, they opened a wholesale seafood market next door as a way to ensure that the restaurant gets the freshest fish possible. Boats land at the dock downstairs and the fish gets carried up to the restaurant as soon as it's cut and cleaned. It doesn't get fresher than that, but we're lucky enough to work with this group of Destin fishermen to deliver their catch next day from the dock. We went out king mackerel fishing on the F/V Hey Baby, watched boats unload, and helped Chief, Harbor Dock's oldest fish cutter, pack boxes of snapper and mullet. Not a bad way to spend a summer afternoon.

Memorial Day marks the start of the summer season, and fish everywhere are jumping.

Alaska salmon season began last week with an unexpectedly strong run of sockeye at the Cooper River, driving prices down to $10/lb in the first week. We will be landing sockeye next in Prince William Sound, then in Cook Inlet and finally in Bristol Bay by the end of June.

Gulf of Mexico fishing continues strong with red snapper and grouper, mackerel and mullet. Off the Carolinas, greenstick boats are landing yellowfin tuna and swordfish, before they begin to migrate north. A wide variety of species are finding their way to the dock in Montauk, NY and Point Judith, RI, while monkfish and scallops are landing multiple times per week in New Bedford, MA. From Portland, ME lobster pricing is beginning to back down, and the harpoon fishermen are anxious for the swordfish to return.

A NY Times article this week discussed the value of eco-labels. Although well-intended they often do not reflect the latest science, and without helping the fish stocks, harm the traditional communities the fish support. A recent study found that many of the species certified were in fact over-fished, and expressed “growing concern among scientists about the effectiveness of seafood eco-labeling”. 

ABC World News tested imported farmed shrimp from Asia, with disturbing findings. Three different banned antibiotics were found in the shrimp: enrofloxacin, an antibiotic banned in animals that Americans eat because it damages the immune system; chloramphenicol, suspected to cause cancer in humans; and carcinogen nitrofuranzone, which was banned in the U.S. 40 years ago. The Alaska Dispatch cites rampant slavery and human trafficking issues in the Asian seafood industry. A Louisiana seafood processor was charged in federal court in New Orleans last week with mislabeling shrimp. With over 90% of all shrimp consumed in the US imported, people are eating some bad shrimp.

The key to the right seafood is traceability. Know where your seafood came from.

Sun was shining brightly in beautiful Beaufort, NC this week, and I was lucky enough to spend a day with Jack Cox and other fishermen there. Jack is a member of the South Atlantic Management Council and is most concerned with an inability to implement the catch-shares programs that have been benefitting traditional fishing communities around the nation. Still operating under the old “derby” style system, the Carolina grouper/snapper complex is closed to fishing until May 1. “I can’t make enough money to pay for gas keeping only trigger and amber” said F/V Sea Mint Captain James Holden, whose Lumbee ancestors have fished these waters for centuries. “I won’t even go back out until May”. Until then Captain Mike Santos of the F/V Iron Maiden will land summer flounder, and we will see a steady supply of sword and tuna from two boats that will head to their Montauk, NY summer home by June.

On our way home we visited the Raleigh/Durham area, home to a vibrant, growing food scene. We met a great group of chefs at Lantern Restaurant in Chapel Hill, where chef Andrea Reusing put her magic touch on some wild Bristol Bay sockeye salmon and some big wild Florida Gulf white shrimp. An impressive group in an impressive place enjoyed some impressive seafood.

Up north in the Gulf of Maine there is renewed concern for the health of Atlantic cod populations. A step in the right direction happened this week when Whole Foods committed to stop selling all “red-listed” fish by Earth Day 2012, a year ahead of schedule.

Just a few years back the Chesapeake blue crab fishery was in trouble, but strict management has lead it back to where they are now seeking MSC certification. Blue crab season opens today, and when you taste Maryland blue crab in comparison with the Asian product that has flooded the market, it makes you doubly glad that it will be around for our grandkids.

Down in Destin, FL, Chatham Morgan reports that in addition to the steady tuna, snapper, and grouper landing there, mullet, mackerel, pompano, cobia and sheepshead are now being caught within a mile of the beach. These delicious, under-utilized, under-appreciated species, next day from the dock, are a true chef’s delight. Your diners deserve them.

On Valentine’s Day it seems like tuna, shrimp and scallops get all the love. There are some very good looking fish out there ready, willing, and able to give some good loving right back.

Diners are looking to discover hidden treasures from the sea. Chefs are looking to let their creative juices flow. By taking advantage of the lower cost of under-utilized species, both can feel the love. And as our special gift to lovers, all express orders shipping Monday will be upgraded to FedEx Priority for 10:30AM Valentine’s Day arrival at our cost.

From Destin, FL striped mullet, almaco jack, and banded rudderfish are smiling. From Beaufort, NC (America’s Coolest Small Town) we are landing pink snapper and triggerfish. From Rock Hall, MD we can combine white perch and catfish with blue crab meat. In spite of continuing challenges for Gulf of Maine cod, saithe and hake are plentiful. From Point Judith, RI, even though monkfish are pretty ugly, they sure taste good and can ship along with skate wings and yellowtail flounder.

Feel the love.