Scallop prices are on the rise again. This is mainly affecting larger, fresh, drypack scallops. There are some savings in switching to a “refreshed” scallop. If you are interested in a “refreshed” scallop, please let your rep know, as we are currently not stocking any. If you can hold out with the fresh for just a few more weeks, we should begin to see some relief in the market near the end of March.

Oysters, hard-shell clams and mussels are looking great right now! Please ask your rep for a full list of our oyster offerings! We typically carry a great mix of East and West Coast varieties.

Lobster prices have come down just a bit after the recent holidays. We will hopefully see more significant drops in the coming weeks, if weather and everything else cooperate!

Groundfish availability looks pretty good this week. There may be some inclement weather heading that way, however. We will keep you posted if there are going to be any shortages from the ensuing storm. Haddock is in good supply right now and pricing is very reasonable! Along with the haddock, we have skate wing, market cod fillets, lemon sole, monkfish and halibut available off the E/C this week.

Alaskan halibut season is coming up very soon. Saturday, March 6, is the slated opening date! We are looking to have product available for sale the following Tuesday (weather dependant of course). Early indications are pointing towards a good season, even with the quota being reduced this year. Expect opening prices to be high, which is very typical.

Grouper, Dover (shallow) sole, corvina sea bass, California halibut, rockfish, yellowtail, fresh Dungeness meat and Pacific cod will all be available this week.

Don’t forget, as our sustainable product of the month, Seattle Fish will donate one percent of all Arctic char sales made between February 16 and March 9, 2010, to Ocean Trust, an award-winning ocean conservation foundation building science, conservation and industry partnerships for the sustainability of the oceans and providing a link to sustainable fisheries, wildlife and the environment.

All Regal Springs tilapia is currently undergoing increased FDA scrutiny with the FDA holding shipments for extended periods of time for testing. This increased holding time is forcing Regal Springs to freeze its current production of tilapia because it cannot accommodate the FDA holding time and still get product to market fast enough. This is going to impact availability this week and perhaps into next week. We will keep you posted as we get more details of the hold, and when product is going to become available. Lent is also putting a lot of pressure on the market. With the increase of current demand and shortage of product, please plan accordingly over the next couple weeks. Ask your rep about our IQF options.

COLD COLD COLD! Walleye and other species are chilling under the ice for now, working on their fat content! Warmer weather will bring more availability. For now, things will be spotty.

As I mentioned before, we are in the middle of Lent, and this is putting a lot of demand on the market. Prices have gone up slightly. I anticipate seeing minimal price increases over the next few months.

We carry a variety of farm-raised salmon, including Loch Duart Scottish salmon (Atlantic), Tasmanian salmon (Atlantic), New Zealand king salmon and premium whole Atlantic salmon. Please talk to your rep to find out what would best suit your needs!

There was good availability on the Hawaiian auction over the weekend. Our shipment just landed, and it included spearfish (hebi), albacore tuna, opah, swordfish and some beautiful striped marlin.

The American red snapper quota has been increased for the year, and we have recently seen very good pricing. It’s not all good news, however, as the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has proposed to shorten the season significantly to prevent overfishing. Maybe not the news we want to hear, but overall this will be good to help ensure the longevity of the species.

Along with American red snapper, we have the following available for the week: grouper, swordfish, yellowfin tuna, mahi mahi and yellowtail snapper.

Ask your rep about our long list of sustainable items, including Fresh Farm-Raised Icelandic Arctic Char, CCI All-Natural Colorado Trout, Faroe Islands Ocean Trout, Loch Duart Salmon, Gigha Island Halibut, New Zealand Abalone, MSC-Certified Chilean Sea Bass, Colorado Hybrid Striped Bass, and the list goes on. If you are looking to make any menu changes and have questions about sustainability, ask the experts. We would be happy to help you put together a menu that will help highlight these items.