What does this mean for our industry? Well, first and foremost, it hurts an already financially strapped domestic fishing industry that counts on revenues generated from this desired seafood item. Seafood importers will now look more intensely at Grouper supplies from both South and Central America. This will be passed on to wholesalers, retailers, restaurants, etc. in the form of much higher than normal prices to the end users, who just want to enjoy a nice piece of Grouper fillet every once in awhile.

In the past, high Grouper prices have led to many other firm, flaky, white meat species being passed off as Grouper fillets to restaurants, retailers, fish markets, and eventually, the consumer. The USDC has for the last few years cracked down on the mislabeling of these “Grouper-like” species and many unscrupulous practitioners have been caught, fined, and had their dealer licenses revoked. Major broad line, retail and warehouse club chains have also either removed Grouper from their seafood offerings or asked for proof of the Grouper’s authenticity. This helps every seafood purveyor that does things “by the book” and it allows the consumer to enjoy real Grouper, not a cheaper tasting and inferior quality substitute.

Traditionally, high Grouper prices have also helped to create legitimate markets and subsequent demand for other firm, flaky fillets that can stand on their own merit. Items such as Swai, Ponga, Corvina, and Kingclip are being imported and offered now with more frequency. They have also become widely accepted by many seafood purveyors and their customers are asking for it by name. Having alternatives when traditional species are not available creates value and opportunity in our industry. The next time that Grouper is not available, try one of these new items. You will find that you and your customers will come back for more.

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 Opah (Latin name: Lampris Regius) is an exceptionally colorful and beautiful looking fish that most people do not know much about. It is sometimes referred to as Moonfish because of its large round shape. Opahs can grow to almost 200 lbs, but typically range somewhere between 60 and 200 lbs. They have a silver/grey upper body color that shades to rosy red, dotted with white spots toward the belly. Its fins are crimson red and it has large, bright eyes that are encircled with golden yellow that really make them stand out. All Opahs are long-line caught.

There is no directed Opah fishery and you don’t see it sold in abundance anywhere in the United States other than Hawaii. It certainly isn’t consumed much here on the East Coast, but I am here to say that perhaps it should! Since it is an incidental catch by fisherman, it is available more often than not. Most of the Opah sold commercially is caught in Hawaii.  However, right now there is a small Opah fishery off of the Catalina Islands located off of the Southern California Coast that runs through January 31^st (starting in mid-November), weather permitting.

Opah has a very rich flavor, due to the high fat content in the fish. While it gets consumed raw (sashimi), I found it best served broiled where the oiliness really comes off the meat and on to your taste buds. I have seen it smoked and since the fish is so oily, I am sure that it “smokes up” well and tastes great!

Seafood Distributors purchasing Opah will more than likely receive what is referred to as the “rack” (head removed, tail and fins removed, and much of the lower two quadrants of the fish removed ). When the fish is cut to be sold, the “top loin“, or the meat at the top halves of the fish, is most desired. The meat is firm and bright pinkish red in color. The bottom loin, while edible, can be grisly, and generally ends up as kabobs or in dishes like tacos.  

Hopefully, you now know much more about this magnificent looking and tasting fish than you did before.

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Cephalopods are in big demand during the Christmas season.  The three major types that are purchased and consumed are:  Pulpo/Octopus, Sepia/Cuttlefish & Calamari/Squid.

Many people do not understand the difference between these three and tend to lump them all together.  However each type is a distinct animal.  Cooking methods can be quite similar but there are distinctive characteristics to each.

Pulpo or Octopus: 

Sold as large cleaned (each individual octopus weighs one to several pounds) or baby cleaned (several octopi per one pound).  These are typically boiled for salad or stewed in tomato sauce and transcend several cuisines:  South American, Mediterranean and Asian etc.  The cooked meat is chewy but flavorful. The tentacles are quite long and are cut into pieces while the head meat is sliced.

Sepia or Cuttlefish: 

This cephalopod is not as well known in the USA as its cousins the squid or octopus.  However, in Europe and Asia, this is the prized cephalopod for flavor and consistency.  The animal is a cross between both the squid and octopus in appearance.  The thick meat cooks up snow white and is tender with a subtle flavor.  It is delicious when grilled or stewed but is just as tasty fried or boiled. The tentacles are shorter and the body (or tube) is where the thick slices come from.  Once again the forms sold in the marketplace are either:   large cleaned, large uncleaned or baby cleaned.

Calamari or Squid:    

Most everyone knows this cephalopod.  The tube and tentacles are fried or the tube is stuffed.  Product is sized by tube length and there are many tubes or tubes & tentacles per pound. 

Happy Holidays!  May cephalopods be included on your holiday menu!

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Eat Seafood Twice a Week!

I just returned from attending the Groundfish Forum held in Iceland.  The leaders of the world’s groundfish industry were all present discussing the status of groundfishstocks and markets.  As this is an invitation only event I always feel privileged to be included in such esteemed company.  Two presentations stand out in my mind given by speakers reporting on the retail and foodservice sectors of the US.  Independently, both presenters had come to a similar conclusion:  Seafood has an unprecedented, historic opportunity ahead!

As a protein, seafood is always fighting the price issues compared to beef, pork and chicken.  Seafood historically has been higher priced than these alternatives.  This price difference has been a detriment to expanding seafood consumption in the US.  However the trends ahead might just level this playing field. 

Due to a variety of reasons, there are less cows and pigs being raised than in the past.  If the economic data is to be believed prices on these proteins should rise as supply decreases.  The price difference between seafood and warm blooded protein should be much less than in the past.  Also, warm blooded protein does not offer the health benefits that seafood does.  We have an aging, fatter population in the US that truly needs fish in their diet.  The health benefits are well documented. We, the seafood industry, need to get the message out there!  Eat seafood twice a week!

In the macro picture of protein this could be unprecedented times. There will be the less of a price difference for seafood when compared to warm blooded protein alternatives. We, the seafood industry need to take advantage of this minimized pricing differential.  But in order to take full advantage, we need to present seafood as one industry to the marketplace, not fragmented into specie groups.

Having battle scars from earlier efforts to form a cohesive seafood marketing plan, (does anyone remember “Generic Marketing”?), it really is time to put our specie differences aside and approach the marketplace with the healthy, cold blooded protein known as Seafood.  Whether it is squid, tilapia, shrimp, octopus or bluefish….seafood consumption in the US has a chance to grow.  The pricing barrier vs. other proteins will be at its lowest level and the need for a healthy, fun protein alternative is at its highest level. Let’s take advantage of this historic opportunity, join forces, and with one voice send a clear message to the consumer:  Eat seafood twice a week!

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The Best Shrimp…

What is the best shrimp to eat????? As the shrimp buyer here I often get asked this question. The answer is actually interesting and it varies depending upon the individual tastes of the consumer.  When people order steak in a restaurant they are very clear when it comes to what they prefer; the Ribeye which is a fattier, richer, more flavorful piece of meat with good marbling throughout or a Filet Mignon which is a center cut, leaner piece of meat.  When it comes to shrimp though, the consumer is much less clear cut in what “type” of shrimp they like or even know about.

Shrimp can be different in looks and tastes simply by method, i.e. farmed or wild. Shrimp can also be vastly different in looks, tastes and cooking time by species: Penaeus Vannamei (whites), Penaeus Subtilis (brown), Penaeus Monodon (tigers) or Machrobrachium Rosenbergii (freshwater). In the shrimp world, we use the Latin or scientific names when purchasing shrimp so that all of the sellers and buyers worldwide understand exactly the species that they are buying. This is a cute footnote to all parents who are struggling with their teenagers taking Latin in schools. The kids will say, “when in real life would we EVER use this?” you can then shoot back with the fact that the international seafood community uses Latin in buying and selling.

The Penaeus Vannamei or white shrimp are typically sold in many forms and can be from Mexico, Ecuador, Panama, Indonesia, Vietnam, India and other areas of Southeast Asia and South America. They can be wild or farmed and are also caught in the Gulf of Mexico. The US domestic shrimp industry thrives with white shrimp harvested from the Gulf of Mexico in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Alabama. Typically, farmed raised shrimp have a very mild flavor and have a nice uniformity so that all of the shrimps in one size look the same in shape. The farmed whites can be softer in feel in the mouth vs. a wild white. The South American farmed whites are typically firmer than the Asian farmed whites.

Wild caughtwhites can vary greatly in flavor depending upon where they are caught. The Mexican whites are a very “meaty” shrimp with a good crunch and a sweet flavor. The Domestic Gulf whites can be a bit softer in the mouth and can have a “shrimpier” flavor, but are also sweet.

The Penaeus Subtilisor Browns are a “strong” flavored shrimp which can have a bit of astringency in the flavor profile due to their higher iodine content. Many different regions of the country prefer these shrimp, especially in the South and Southwest, and in Maryland and the Carolinas.  The taste of these wild caughtbrowns is VERY “shrimpy”; which, in other markets can be objectionable.

The Penaeus Monodon or black tiger shrimp  can be farmed or wild caught.  However, in the US, black tigers are generally farm raised from India, Vietnam, Bangladesh or Indonesia. These shrimp can be a bit saltier and firmer than a white, but when cooked, have a beautiful bright orange color.  They have a nice crunch but if overcooked, can become tough especially since they have a shorter cooking time than white shrimp.

The Machrobrachium Rosenbergii are farmed freshwater shrimp.  These are typically prepared grilled, sautéed or baked and should never be boiled.  They have a very different taste and texture to the whites, browns or black tigers. They are plain in flavor with a texture and consistency that is closer to lobster than to shrimp. These are very firm and mild and they pick up marinades very well. Since they can grow quite large their cooked presentation can be quite dramatic.

So which is my favorite???? Well I like them all. As noted, some work better for frying and some work better for marinating and grilling; so there really is no correct answer. When we have done taste tests between farmed whites and farmed tigers with our 15 salespeople the results are usually split right down the middle. Half of the people prefer the milder and softer white; while the other half enjoy the brighter color, crunch and brininess of the tiger.

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Fresh Swordfish

High quality Fresh Swordfish is currently at historically low prices. There is also no better time of the year to find the highest quality and freshest-to-market, swordfish around. This premium fish is harvested off the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia in an area known as the Emerald Basin. The cold, clean, waters of the Emerald Basin are home to some of the largest, fattiest, best tasting swordfish found anywhere in the world.

Harvested by long line Canadian fishing vessels, these large Atlantic Ocean swordfish are prized for their freshness, firm meat and taste. The cold waters of Eastern Canada makes these fish very fat which gives the meat a lot of flavor.  This is very similar to what marbling does for the flavor of beef. The more fat, the more flavor!

These fish are not available year round. They have been available since August, but fishing boats have almost caught their quotas and the weather is starting to get nasty. This means that if you don’t buy these within the next few weeks, you will have to wait until next summer to have the chance to enjoy them again. Don’t miss out! If you are a lover of swordfish, now is the time to experience the best eating swordfish ever.  Just make sure that what you are buying is Emerald Basin, Canadian, Long Line Swordfish. You will not be sorry!

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Imported Loligo Squid

There are several significant Loligo squid species imported into the US.  The two most significant are: Loligo chinensis (from China) and Loligo vulgaris (from India).  The one that offers the most value to the US consumer and is packed similar to US domestic squid is the Loligo chinensis squid from China.

Loligo chinensis is caught in the South China Sea and is typically brought to shore fresh.  There are Taiwan boats that freeze at sea, but the majority of the squid caught in the South China Sea is processed from fresh or first land frozen and then processed later.  Loligo chinensis is treated with a tenderizing agent during the cleaning process.  Very few US Squid importers list the tenderizing agent as an ingredient on their cleaned squid package.  BOSN calamari is one Chinese squid brand that has all the proper ingredients listed and is true net weight.

Loligo Chinensisafter processing is white, tender and neutral in flavor.  The US market prefers a tender squid with neutral flavor and this product meets those criteria. It is also packed in the recognizable format of tray and bag and is very competitively priced.   The squid is fully cleaned and tentacles are separated from tubes. The squid is sized by its tube length which mirrors the domestic loligo.

Loligo vulgarisis a loligo squid that comes to the US market primarily from India.  It is whole cleaned which means the tentacles are still connected to the tubes, but the tubes have been skinned and eviscerated.  The pack is typically in a block, not in a tray and bag, like the US or Chinese cleaned squid.  It is block frozen and wrapped in plastic.  Sizing is also typically tube count per kilo, not length of squid tube.

Loligo vulgaris is a very sought after specie around the world.  It is meaty, moderately tender; light colored and has a more pronounced flavor than the Loligo chinensis.  It is also chemically tenderized and the tenderizing ingredients are not usually declared on the package.

Regarding price, Chinese and Indian squid are similarly priced in the market.  The familiarity of the Chinese package versus the more obscure ct/ kg of the Indian squid and unruly block/bag means the Indian calamari is less likely to be found in retail.  Both Indian and Chinese squid packers are known to pack less than net weight, so once again it is critical to understand what one is purchasing.

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Do you know the different trims of Atlantic Salmon?

C TRIM

• Back bone out
• Belly ribs off
• Collar bone off
• Dorsal fin off
• Dorsal fin trimmed
• Fat and belly fin trimmed
• Pinbone out

D TRIM

• Back bone out
• Belly ribs off
• Collar bone off
• Dorsal fin off
• Dorsal fin trimmed
• All belly completely removed with straight vertical cut
• Pinbone out
• Tail trimmed
• Fully trimmed

E TRIM

• Back bone out
• Belly ribs off
• Collar bone off
• Dorsal fin trimmed
• All belly completely removed with straight, vertical cut (not feathered)
• Pinbone out
• Tail trimmed
• Fully trimmed
• Skin off

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 What’s my fish worth?

I remember a conversation I had with my Uncle Eddie back in the late 80’s when I was a relative greenhorn in the business.  I’d had 3 or 4 years of buying experience under my belt and thought that I had a pretty good idea what this business was about.  Ecuador was king when it came to Shrimp, and shell-on was the only way to go.  The import cost of 50/60 count shrimp had just plummeted from 3.20/lb down to the unheard of price of 2.80/lb!  I tried to make the argument with Ed to take whatever capital we had and buy as many 50/60’s as we could lay our hands on because the item had gotten so cheap that it was selling below the base intrinsic value for the Shrimp.  Ed was very quick to point out to me that there is NO intrinsic value in Seafood.  Your fish is only worth what your customer is willing to pay you for it.

20 years later Ed’s words hold up better than ever.  Those 50/60’s that I would have felt safe selling at 2.95/lb are now worth 2.60/lb or less, and that size is one of the least affected by the deflation in the value of Shrimp.  Most sizes of Black Tiger Shrimp are at prices in the low end of the 10 year trading range.  Domestic Shrimp has taken a bigger hit, as it is now considered to be less valuable in the market than tigers, a total reversal in attitude!  Domestic Shrimp are selling at prices lower than they were in 1985, and that’s not taking into account the erosion in the value of a dollar.  In real terms the shrimp is selling for less than half what it did back then!

Let’s not limit our discussion to the value of Shrimp.  You can find similar examples with other species including Snow Crab, Warm and Cold water Lobster tails and meat, fresh Swordfish, and dozens of other products, all of which are trading at or below the prices that they’ve sold at any time during the last 20 years.  At the same point we have other items where prices are zooming.  Farmed Salmon fillets were worth 4.10/lb on average in September 2007.  They’re selling for 5.50-5.75/lb now.  Scallops are selling at or slightly ahead of the prices that they were at last year.  Frozen Swordfish prices have jumped about 20% in the last 2-3 months.  The general trend at the moment is deflationary, but there are items that are bucking the trend.

What’s the answer to the question up top?  Your fish is worth what your customer will pay for it AT THE MOMENT WHEN IT IS NEEDED.  If you’re a speculator in stocks or precious metals you may want to speculate in seafood as well.  This is perfectly fine as long as you follow basic rules.  Don’t invest before you research the market.  Be careful buying commodities that are not openly traded, where it is more difficult to establish a current market price.  Be realistic about whether you can sell your purchase when it comes time to liquidate- don’t buy more than you can move in a reasonable timeframe.  Don’t gamble what you can’t afford to lose. Finally, don’t forget- fish is not gold or even wine- it doesn’t get better with age!

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Selling the Seafood Sizzle

One of the biggest problems that most consumers have with seafood is that they simply do not know how to cook it.  This problem can be solved with a little education which will, when done effectively, create a loyal, committed customer.  The question is how to educate. In today’s fast paced society, the consumer is typically looking to reduce their time shopping.  Although they may say they are looking for an experience, in most cases, they target on developing a solution to their need for a meal and want to be in and out of the store as fast as possible.  Getting your customer engaged will be the key to making them a customer. 

The passive route to take is to develop recipe cards and to make them available to customers both at the counter and via your web site.  The benefit of this approach is the low cost - on the flip side - it will do little to engage your customer and get them excited about seafood.  The more proactive means of engagement would entail product demonstrations on site to show the customer the possibilities for creating a meal.  The upside of this approach is that your customer will see, smell, and taste the product - the downside is that it is expensive and results in limited customer exposure. 

I would recommend a hybrid approach - shoot a short video - no more than one minute - showing customers how to cook a particular meal.  In order to fully engage your store associates in the promotion, have them submit the recipes and do the cooking.  Combine this with a menu planning card as a take away and you have fully engaged your customer and made a sale in the process.

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