1. THIS FRIDAY IS “GOOD FRIDAY”!! With Easter being this coming Sunday, “Holy Week” has some of the highest fish demand of the year. Anything that even smells like fish is worth money.
2. PLENTY OF FRESH HPP VENZ JUMBO THIS WEEK! For the first time in two weeks, the supply of fresh Venezuelan crabmeat will meet or exceed demand. The suppliers have succeeded in pushing prices up over $20 – I think it is doubtful they can maintain these price levels after Easter – there is plenty of fresh lump ($10.95) and plenty of fresh hand picked claw for only $6.95
3. SWORDFISH A VALUE THIS WEEK -What is a “Pumpkin Swordfish”? Why is it valued at a higher price than a regular swordfish? It begins with the color. Light pink to brilliant orange flesh is the first thing to set it apart. The deepest orange fleshed fish are highly desirable to many retailers. The eye appeal is undeniable but what about the flavor? The consumers who seek out this fish agree that it has a richer flavor. The flesh of swordfish are characteristically high in oil content but the “pumpkin” swords are a step higher. Does more fat mean more flavor? Yes. Where does the color come from? The most common answer is that they are feeding on large volumes of shrimp. This creates a more robust flavor that swordfish “aficionados” find irresistible. Ask your customer service representative to keep you in the loop when a fish shows up. You can judge it for yourself.
4. SOFT CRABS DRYING UP IN SOUTH CAROLINA BUT NORTH CAROLINA ABOUT TO START – peeler run is over for the most part in South Carolina – we are waiting on the Outer Banks of North Carolina to heat up – that will take 7-10 days – they are setting peeler pots today using ONE male crab as bait, hoping to catch female peelers – we should have small amounts softs available daily this week
5. JUMBO ROCK RUNNING IN THE SURF OFF OCEAN CITY MD – the spring migration back up to Massachusetts is on – big fish are right on the beach and our gill-netters risk flipping their boats in the surf to catch them – quality is outstanding
6. FRESH MARYLAND CRABMEAT IN FULL SWING – all the houses in Maryland are cranking out meat daily – no problem with supply this summer – trot line crabbers in Taylors Island report not being able to crab in less than 8 feet of water because the bottom is literally covered in small crabs that eat all the bait up on their lines in no time!!
7. CAPTAIN DERRICK IS CATCHING & CATCHING!!! What is the absolute freshest best tasting scallop money can buy? ANSWER – our very own DAYBOAT OC SCALLOPS caught just 30 miles east of OC Inlet by Capt Derrick Hoy of the F/V Second to None! 24 HOURS FROM THE OCEAN TO YOUR PLATE – you have never tasted a scallop like this
8. LOCAL BLACK DRUM RUNNING IN THE SURF WITH THE JUMBO ROCK OFF OC! Try another local delicacy for half the price of rockfish fillets – get out the blackening seasoning $7.95/lb
9. LIVE LOBSTER MARKET CRACKING & FINALLY IN SINGLE DIGITS! After spending a couple months above the $10 mark, CQ (chix & quarters) are back in single digit territory. $9.75 CQ are far from being a value but it is more of psychological victory than anything else. No price drop yet on “Select” lobsters, 1.75’s to 4 pounders. This is indicative of how few of this size lobster is being caught. Areas of Newfoundland and eastern Nova Scotia open this week and that will add to the downward price momentum. The “flood gates open” April 30 in Nova Scotia where large areas open and it is anticipated that over 2 million pounds a WEEK will be landed ! The landings during this season will largely determine the price of lobster tails and meat for the remainder of this year.
10. MAHI “SEASON” OVER IN CENTRAL AMERICA – Off Ecuador in the Pacific, water temps have dropped (that is normal for this time of year) and the mahi that had been so plentiful all winter there, are long gone. Get ready to pay more for mahi fillets than #1 tuna loins. We will have a short run of domestic mahi starting in early May when the “Charleston Bump” area opens off South Carolina. These fish will literally race up our coast on their way to the waters off Nova Scotia. The quality of this mahi is awesome, because the “trips” are only 3 days dock to dock. By the 4th of July, most years, they have disappeared into the deep blue abyss.
11. LOTS OF LOCAL FLOUNDER & BLACK BASS LANDED THIS WEEK! Boats are packing lots of beautiful summer flounder today from Chincoteague VA to Morehead City NC. They are the best value on the market this week. Hand cut fillets of jumbo fluke (3-5 lb whole fish yielding 1-2 lb fillets) are only $11.95
12. WE HAVE A HUGE SELECTION OF SHELL OYSTERS FROM ALL OVER THE US!! Check out our more than 30 varieties of delicious shell oysters – from Wild Ass Ponies to Sweet Jesus to Rasberry Points, Congressional is your “one stop shop” for all your shellfish needs! Ask your sales rep to put you on our oyster distro sheet daily!
