SHELLFISH

Live Maine lobsters are still a great bargain right now. Take advantage now, as prices will surely spike just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Mussels, hard-shell clams, and oysters (East and West Coast) are all in good supply right now. Please get oyster preorders in as soon as possible for Valentine’s Day. This will help ensure that we have enough of these little aphrodisiacs to meet everybody’s needs.

The jumbo scallop market is still pretty tight. Prices remain high on fresh jumbo dry packs. We should see some relief in mid-March, when closed areas reopen for fishing and the larger scallops will be targeted.

EAST COAST

Groundfish off the E/C have been a bargain recently, and the trend continues this week. Haddock, Atlantic cod, monkfish, skate wing, lemon sole (dab), and sushi flukes are all coming in this week. Bad weather is approaching the E/C, however, so availability may tighten up in the next week or so.

WEST COAST

Groundfish availability is opening up after a string of bad weather on the W/C. Dover (shallow) sole, petrale sole, ocean perch, and rockfish should be available midweek. Black cod is still difficult to source at this point.

Grouper, yellowtail, California halibut, fresh Dungeness meat, Arctic Char, and Pacific cod will be available this week along with the groundfish.

GREAT LAKES

Walleye will be tight over the next couple of months. The fishermen are only allowed to catch 25% of the yearly quota within the first three months of the year. As numbers have not yet been finalized on the yearly quota, days on the water will be limited. By-catch items out of the Great Lakes will be limited, as well, until we see more walleye volume coming through.

SALMON

The farmed salmon market continues to be tight. We are working diligently to source enough salmon to meet our needs and yours. Please work closely with your rep to get any orders in ahead of time to help ensure availability. Please keep in mind that we have a variety of salmon options available to you, including farm-raised Atlantic Loch Duart Scottish salmon, Atlantic Tasmanian salmon, and New Zealand king salmon . We should start to see some relief around March, as more product will become available in the market at that time.

Wild salmon season is coming up, as well! We should start to see some fish become available in April. There may be some wild open-water troll kings available between now and then, but they will be pricey!

HAWAII/GULF

Mardi Gras is right around the corner! Start getting those preorders in for the mud bugs (crawfish)! Speaking of crawfish, don’t forgot about Cowboy Crawfish! These Colorado farm-raised crawfish should become available in the summertime, right around the end of the Gulf season.

Great options off the Hawaiian auction this week. Ono, monchong (pomfret), opah, opakapaka, snapper, swordfish, albacore, escolar, and striped marlin are all arriving this week!

Gulf options for the week include swordfish, grouper, king mackerel, mako shark, mahi mahi, American red snapper, and mutton snappers.