1. FRESH VENENZUELAN CRABMEAT GETTING SCARCER – Aside from the huge hurdles (lack of gas for crab boats, fly meat to Panama first then Miami) the Venz shippers are dealing with each week just to get fresh crabmeat to the US, the live crab catch in the Lake is falling. Prices are inching up each week. 6 more weeks until conservation begins.
2. PLENTY OF MARYLAND & CAROLINA MEAT AVAILABLE – even if Venezuela shuts down completely, the local picking houses can easily fill the void created with fresh local crabmeat. Price differential this week is $4 per pound. Fresh picked local Maryland lump is only $17.95
3. FRESH MAHI COSTS MORE THAN # 1 TUNA LOINS NOW — As is typical for this time of year, the bulk of the schools of mahi have migrated north from central America where they are a targeted specie to US and Canadian waters where they are strictly a by-catch specie. The resorts in the US are packed and mahi is a very popular item at the beach hence sky high fresh pricing. Most of the mahi sold this time of year is previously frozen and cold smoked with nitrogen.
4. LIVE LOBSTER MARKET FIRMING UP FAST – With the 4th of July holiday this week, most Canadian provinces closed now, and the catch in Maine showing no sign of picking up, prices are moving higher. This is the first week of a “split” dock price in Maine, – one price for hardshells and a lower price for firm shells. So if your live lobster price seems too good to be true, they are most likely firms.
5. ONLY ONE COMMERCIAL JUMBO ROCK HARVEST DAY THIS WEEK IN MASS – they are fishing today in Massachusetts for jumbo rock but won’t fish again until next Monday because Thursday is a holiday and I guess commercial fishermen must need a day off to celebrate our Independence Day. We have plenty of local Chesapeake Bay rockfish in house all week.
6. LOTS OF WILD SALMON – We have wild Copper River sockeyes and wild kings in inventory everyday now. Prices have fallen to more reasonable levels on sockeyes now – fillets are $11.95. Columbia River Kings are still $14.95 fillets on magnificent 11/18 lb fish
7. MORE OYSTERS FROM PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND !! In addition to our Raspberry Points, Beausoleil, and Malpeque oysters, we are featuring Queens Cup and Northern Silvers. Oysters from PEI really have a unique flavor profile compared to their more southern counterparts. It takes SIX YEARS to grow an oyster to 3″ on PEI and that slow process is no doubt responsible for their unique flavor
8. JUMBO SOFT CRABS AVAILABLE AGAIN !!! Peeler run going on in Dorchester county below Cambridge with decent availability daily. Prices are still elevated
9. TONS OF CANADIAN HALIBUT – Many areas of eastern Canada are producing dayboat quality beautiful 10/50 and 50/85 lb halibut for very reasonable prices. I recommend highly putting that on special for the holiday !!!
