species

The Mack Daddy


If we had to pick a fish to symbolize Mother’s Day, it might be the humble mackerel. The phrase “holy mackerel” was first used as a euphemism for the expletive “Holy Mother.” Mackerel was a nickname for Catholics who ate fish on Fridays, a tradition traceable back to the ancient Babylonia celebration of Freya, the goddess of fertility. The French word for mackerel, maquereau, is slang for pimp, a concept best left out of Mother’s Day brunch conversation.

Whether or not you enjoy fish this Sunday, we should all be eating more fish like mackerel, an under-utilized and underappreciated species that can be found coursing through Northeast waters throughout the summer. A highly migratory, fast-swimming and fast-reproducing species, Atlantic mackerel is listed as a sustainable option across the board. Fresh out of the water, they’re prized everywhere for their rich, firm flesh. Dark fish like mackerel tend to be loaded with healthy fatty acids and omega-3s, and often have the most flavor. Mackerel can stand well on its own, prepared simply with salt, pepper, butter, and a squeeze or two of lemon.

Times are uncertain for Northeast fishermen. A drastic 77 percent cut in the cod quota just went into effect in May, and fishermen are afraid to go to sea because they don’t know if there’s a market for what they can catch. We can support these fishermen by enjoying lesser known abundant fish, like mackerel, pollock, redfish, dogfish, and hake. NOAA’s most recent report showed six more rebuilt stocks in U.S. waters. This is an opportunity for chefs and diners to create a better market for fishermen’s catch. The future of traditional fisheries depends on diversifying our tastes.

Cobia Comes to Town

In the weeks after spring has sprung, we’re all getting antsy for waters to warm and fish to jump. But down in Destin, Florida, this period marks one of the most exciting times of year for local fishermen: when cobia come to town. “The day the first cobia landed, my phone was ringing off the hook,” says Eddie Morgan, whose family owns Destin’s Harbor Docks. Starting late March and petering out early May, schools of cobia migrate from the southern Gulf up through the Panhandle shallows toward the mouth of the mighty Mississippi. This year’s cobia run is the best Destin has seen in years, with the largest fish caught so far weighing in at a hefty 87 pounds.

For Destin, cobia is a community event, and men and women all along the coast join in the Cobia World Championships to see who can reel in the biggest fish. Morgan and his dad Charles and brother Chatham join in the cobia tournament on their boats the F/V Hired Gun and F/V Papi. Fishermen take their boats anywhere from 100 yards to 3 miles offshore and use “cobia towers” to spot the colossal fish swimming near the water’s surface. Firm and meaty with a mild “lemony” flavor, Eddie loves to eat cobia blackened, but he declares “it’s good most any other way.” It’s a real treat that Destin cobia fishermen share any of their prized catch with our chefs, and we wish the Morgan family the best of luck in this year’s tournament.

Destin is known as the “world’s luckiest fishing village,” but things weren’t always so bright in the Gulf. After decades of poor management, the region’s prized species were overfished. But in recent years, better management in the form of Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQs) have been put into place to ensure a healthy fishery for future generations. Although new rules made life tough initially for Destin fishermen, they tell us that things now are looking up. We’re happy to see the hard work of the Morgans and other Gulf fishing families paying off.

Too often seafood is the forgotten story of the food movement, and chefs assume that good fish is a luxury. It doesn’t have to be if we shorten the distance between fisherman and chef. When we see tight-knit fishing communities like Destin’s, it gives us hope that we’re on the right track

Vote With Your Fork

One of the most common questions we’re asked about supporting traditional fishing communities is, “That’s great, but now what? How do I know what fish is ok to buy?” The answer to this might seem complex, but one step we can all take is to simply buy wild domestic seafood. The statistics speak loud and clear: 91% of the seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported, and over half of what we catch here is sent overseas. That is a broken supply chain. With our own traditional fishing communities struggling to have better access to the marketplace, one of the best choices we can make is to be patriotic with our seafood purchases.

Although fish populations remain challenged around the globe, US wild fisheries have made remarkable strides from thirty years ago. When the Magnuson-Stevens Act was passed in 1976, it became federal law that no U.S. waters could be overfished. Though better management has taken time to implement, today we’re ahead of most countries when it comes to protecting our marine ecosystems. Around the country, fish stocks are rebuilding, fishing methods are becoming more sustainable, and independent fishermen have a chance to pass their work down to the next generation. Things are still far from perfect, but it’s important that we recognize the success stories.

Atlantic Spiny Dogfish is one such success story. Underutilized in the U.S., no rules were put in place to protect the species. Dogfish is extremely popular in Europe, and the increased foreign demand combined with a lack of management soon led to declining stocks. Strict management was implemented, and the fishery was declared rebuilt in 2010, receiving MSC certification in 2012. With Atlantic Cod quotas cut 77%, Dogfish is an abundant species available as an alternative catch for Northeast fishermen.

Dogfish is somewhat of a Cinderella story in the fish world: it’s gone from an undervalued species to a sustainable, delicious, extremely affordable option. Its lean white meat is a wonderful substitute for imported sturgeon, and its clean flavor shines through when cooked sous vide or braised. “It's got great flavor when it's raw, and would be killer for sushi,” adds chef Nathan Shapiro of the Ashby Inn. It’s time that we start noticing more of our diverse domestic fish species, and make fish like Atlantic Dogfish the belle of the ball. After all, sometimes the best culinary magic happens when we look no further than our own surroundings- or waters- to feed us. 

Spring Halibut

You know spring can’t be far behind when the first halibut lands in Alaska. Pacific halibut is considered one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world. Captain Tim Abena of the F/V Big Blue fishes halibut using selective hook and line gear, with a small secondary catch of (delicious) rockfish. His first halibut of the season was caught in Prince William Sound’s Two Arm Bay, landed in Homer, headed, gutted, and shipped via FedEx to arrive next day in the lower 48.

Unlike Atlantic halibut, which was severely overfished and has yet to recover, the Alaska halibut fishery has a robust scientific management system, ensuring a long and abundant season that stretches until November. The largest of all flatfish, halibut can grow to over 300 pounds. More commonly 15-30 pounds, Alaska halibut is prized for its mild, sweet flavor, firm texture, and spectacular results whether grilled, roasted, sautéed, or poached.

The season’s first halibut made its way this week to Walker’s Drive-In in Jackson, Mississippi. Jackson isn’t a city known for its food scene, but chef Derek Emerson and his wife Jennifer have set the bar high, turning an old 1950’s diner into a local culinary favorite. There’s nothing quite like the beautiful white flake of halibut, and chef Derek did it justice with his preparation of pan-seared halibut with roasted garlic, white bean purée, sous vide hearts of palm, and sea bean salad. We think Captain Abena should be proud.

Captain Abena and Chef Derek are prime examples of the kinds of independent producers and tastemakers we like to celebrate. But neither is entirely self-sufficient. Just as the independent Alaska halibut fisherman needs an outside market to survive, and relies on chefs who care about top-notch seafood, a chef can’t ultimately create great dishes without great products and the good work of the producers who catch and grow their food. As spring progresses and new fish land at our docks, we’re grateful for this kind of inter-reliance.

A Shrimp of a Different Color

We never get sick of shrimp. Though shrimp is a ubiquitous offering in restaurants, there is much more to shrimp than the unsustainable, and often flavorless, farmed shrimp found on most menus. In fact, there are over 300 species of shrimp around the world, and some of our favorite, more unique varieties are available.



Shrimper John Van Hyning knows the waters of Alaska’s Prince William Sound like the back of his hand. From early spring through the beginning of August, Captain John goes out for sidestripe shrimp on his boat the F/V New Wave. Others have tried their hand at sidestripe shrimping, but no one knows the water like John does, and he catches the best specimens of these shrimp that the Japanese refer to as “amaebi” for their incredibly sweet flavor. They’re beloved among Alaskans and mainlanders alike, and these “sugar shrimp” are available frozen and saltwater-packed until the fresh season starts in April.

Across the Gulf of Alaska in the port of Sitka, fisherman John Bahrt has been packing out spot prawns. John Bahrt has been fishing since he was seven years-old, and he catches spot prawns on his boat the F/V Kristina with pots, limiting bycatch and environmental impact. The deep, cold Alaskan waters make the prawns fatty, succulent, and creamy, with a meatier flavor than the more delicate sidestripe. Many chefs claim spot prawns as their favorite crustacean.

In another Gulf, the Wood family is landing Royal Red shrimp down on the Florida Panhandle. Shrimping for Royal Reds is hard work, with shrimpers going 40-60 miles offshore and dropping their trawls 200 fathoms down in the strongest currents of the Gulf. The deep, cold waters where Royal Reds swim give them a pronounced, sweet flavor that some compare to lobster. The season is brief, and we’re savoring them while we can. Meanwhile classic wild white and pink shrimp continue to land, available both with heads and without.



Whether swimming in saltwater or fresh, warm water or cold, there’s one thing that all shrimp have in common: there’s just no comparing the taste of wild shrimp to farmed. With Sea to Table’s direct model cutting many links from the supply chain, chefs can now enjoy these incredible creatures at competitive prices. Wild shrimp are as varied in flavor as the regions from where they come, and it’s worth getting to know every one. 

As One Door Closes, Another Door Opens

For years scientists have been blaming fishermen for depleted cod stocks in the Gulf of Maine, but now evidence points to another culprit -- climate change. As waters warm, cod are swimming to colder seas. But record high temperatures in the North Atlantic are bringing other species, and as lobster's natural predators head north, lobstermen like Captain Bobby Springer are seeing populations grow.

Bobby has been lobstering literally since he was a baby watching his dad from a crib on the boat. At the tender age of five Bobby started hauling traps, and when he was 17 he bought his granddaddy’s 31-foot lobster boat the F/V Northeaster. He’ll never forget the time he spotted a killer whale in the Gulf of Maine, or the time a propane tank exploded when he was 35 miles offshore, nearly killing him and his crew. Now lobstering on the F/V Bridget & Mary, Bobby credits his success to being extremely hard working. This wise lobster boat captain says, "If you do the work, you make a living. Nothing more, nothing less."

They say New England was built on cod, and though cod seem headed for the waters of Greenland, haddock populations are strong. We expect regular landings all winter from our Portland friends working the F/V Orin and F/V Maura K with beautiful haddock at the lowest prices we have seen in two years. We are also Individual Quick Freezing the tails from Captain Bobby’s lobster catch as well as the claw and knuckle meat.

The only constant is change, and we all have to adapt. Rigorous regulations and warming waters bring continuous challenge to independent New England fishermen. The best way to ensure the future for our treasured traditional fishing communities is to buy their catch.

A Feast of Seven (Sustainable) Fishes

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.

Giving Thanks

Fishermen are a fiercely independent bunch who work America’s most dangerous job. Chefs are the gate keepers of the food world who typically work 12 hour days six days a week. Each have plenty to give thanks for.

Fishermen are thankful for: 

• chefs that buy their catch at a good market price

• being able to land and sell unfamiliar, sustainable species

• regulations like catch shares that keep them tying up at the dock safe and sound

• beautiful days on the water with tight lines and full nets

• management practices that will enable them to pass down their way of life to their grandkids

• cold beer and girls

Chefs are thankful for: 

• fishermen who hit the water every day in all kinds of conditions, keeping their walk-ins full and their diners happy

• exciting and beautiful product that challenges and develops them as chefs

• fishermen practicing sustainable methods to preserve fisheries for the next generation

• having a direct connection to producers

• red gills, firm flesh and slimy skin

Sea to Table published their first Huffington Post column last week and will only be shipping on Monday and Tuesday this week. We give many thanks to our fishermen and chefs.

Acadian Redfish

We are continuously impressed by the willingness of our chef partners to make a difference through the food they serve, and this past week was no exception. We've been organizing an effort to support Northeast fishermen affected by Hurricane Sandy, and you've responded generously. Chefs from the west to the east have committed to serving fish from our docks that were hit hardest by the storm. It will take an ongoing commitment from us all to get these guys on their feet.

It's not all grey skies in the northeast. This week Arcadian redfish was added to the FishWatch family of sustainable seafood, a delicious species with a firm, white-flesh that our Gulf of Maine fisherman friend Terry Alexander calls "a good eatin' fish". Acadian redfish was once a highly valued commercial fishery. However, by the 1950s, the species was severely overfished and quickly disappeared from the American menu. Despite this history, under science-based management, Acadian redfish has been fully rebuilt and we want to help re-establish this fishery as a valuable source of sustainable seafood. Under-utilized and under-appreciated, it is yet another menu option that puts money back in our traditional fishing communities and, because it is well priced, good for your pocketbook too.

As the wild salmon season ends with the last coho from Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, there's some positive news from Bristol Bay with the release of the EPA’s peer review report. “EPA and its independent science reviewers have concluded what commercial fishermen know – a mega mine like Pebble would have devastating impacts on our fishery, jobs and businesses,” said John Fairbanks, board member of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association. “This report makes it clear that President Obama must stand up and protect this fishery’s 14,000 American jobs and the $500 million in annual revenues it generates.” Looks like people might be wising up to the value of our wild, natural food resources.

Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon, filleted and flash-frozen at the peak of flavor in Naknek, AK, is now available for next-day ground delivery from cold storages around the country. Remember, the best way to save a salmon is to eat a salmon.

Randy Sandy

Like many others in the Northeast, fishermen are feeling the effects of Hurricane Sandy and struggling to get back on their feet. As you might imagine, our east coast fishermen friends suffered substantial damage to docks, boats, and waterfront infrastructure from the storm. In addition, the restaurants and customers that these fishermen typically sell their fish to have also been affected, so fishermen are seeing a lack of demand for what they are now able to catch.

We encourage you to buy and eat fish from the Northeast and New England. As Massachusetts fisherman and dock owner Jared Auerbach explains, "If people could change their tastes for even one weekend and put [Northeast and New England] fish on their menu in place of the imported fish they're serving, it would really go a long way." Chefs such as Michel Nischan and Jon Vaast at The Dressing Room in Connecticut, Lonnie Zoeller of Vinoteca in Washington, DC, and Amos Watts of Jax Fish House in Denver were some of the first to menu New England fish to help fishermen affected by Hurricane Sandy. Look for Northeastern fish species like hake, pollock, redfish, monkfish, or scallops, and, as always, remember to ask who caught your fish. Now, more than ever, is the time for the food community to come together to help local fishermen and producers.

Fishermen off the coast of British Columbia have been finding sick looking wild salmon in their catches and reporting it to the Canadian government. Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) is an extremely infectious virus common to pens of farmed salmon worldwide. Assured by the farmed salmon industry of the impossibility of ISA transfer from farmed fish to wild fish the government failed to act. With increasing reports of sick salmon, the media uncovered flawed testing by the farmed salmon industry and a widespread cover up. The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) who oversees both farmed and wild salmon reacted with a full scale investigation. Last week’s Cohen Report calls for an 8-year salmon farming ban. “I urge the federal government, in the interests of conserving this iconic species of salmon,” said Justice Bruce Cohen, “to heed my findings and to implement these recommendations”.

Last week’s Global Aquaculture Alliance meeting in Bangkok confirmed that a new shrimp virus, Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS), has had a significant impact on Asian shrimp production. Right now the causative agent has not been identified, but the leading theory is a bacteria that is itself infected. “Another year, another shrimp disease” reports seafoodnews’s John Sackton. “Diseases are an inevitable part of aquaculture.”

Wild, sustainable seafood from traditional small-scale fisheries is healthy and delicious.

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