fishmonger

By MARK PRATT – 2 hours ago BOSTON (AP) — Fire destroyed a landmark wholesale and retail seafood business on the waterfront early Friday, but there were no reports of injuries. It was not known why the fire broke out around 3:30 a.m. at James Hook & Co., which extends on pilings over the harbor. Several hours later, firefighters were still working to contain the blaze, which continued to burn, particularly in rooms full of corrugated cardboard boxes used for shipping seafood, Fire Department spokesman Steve MacDonald. They had to battle the blaze from outside the building after being ordered out amid fear it would collapse. A dive team was sent into the water as a precautionary measure in case a firefighter fell into the harbor, Fire Chief Kevin MacCurtain said. James Hook & Co. has been in business since 1925, when the Hook brothers started trucking their catch of lobsters from Maine and Canada to Boston's fish piers and selling them directly to the city's top re...

The growing demand for seafood cannot be met by wild caught fish. Aquaculture is the solution to the problem of increased seafood demand. We do want to ask all the right questions in determining if the fish (or clam, or shrimp) is sustainable. Sustainable? What exactly is that? Lets define sustainable as being able to maintain (or better yet increase) the wild population of a given species. Doing no harm to other organisms while procuring the target species. Producing no negative environmental impact. So what exactly are good choices here? This is going to require you ask your local fishmonger when you buy, but here are some good choices . Oysters ; Most farmed oysters are not only sustainable, but actually beneficial to the local water quality due to the large amount of filtration power they supply. Catfish ; Being omnivorous catfish do not require much wild caught fish meal in their feed, and effluents are limited or treated to avoid harm to the environment. Algae ; Lets hope it...

Following the actions of some fishermen in France; Spanish fishermen and some truckers are protesting rising fuel prices. These are surely difficult times for anyone who's income is affected by the cost of oil. What is most disturbing is the possibility of special price fixing for individual groups regardless of market pricing. Lets hope that this doesn't make our shore. Some of these fishermen also engaged in illegal activities including road blocks, destruction of seafood shops, and ransacking of wholesale facilities. My advice to these guys give the fish a break for a while, lower your landings, get the right price for the fish you catch, and let the markets adjust. Be careful what you wish for fishermen; your efforts could lead you in the wrong direction, and your livelihood may be overtaken by people with their own dark agenda.

The last two weeks lack of tuna supply were like nothing we have seen in recent times. The compounded effects of the monthly lunar schedule , and the fisherman's efforts to squeeze the most out of a gallon of diesel led to something like a "perfect storm". I will be speaking this week to everyone I know in the tuna trade, and maybe we can come up with some predictions for next month. I doubt that the announcement last week by some Pacific Island nations to ban tuna fishing in their waters added to the low supply, but it makes an interesting side story.

This morning I checked my inbox and was pleased to receive an e-mail from a fellow fishmonger and blogger, Don't Fear Fish . Although I often get feedback from Friends and business associates it is good to get a fresh response. My west coast doppelganger is doing a great job providing information to his customers and to the public. Please stop by check out his site and leave a comment.

As someone who makes a living trading in seafood for human consumption I have the opinion that the wholesale taking of a valuable natural resource by only a hand full of people is not good. Apparently there are even a few elected officials that are of the same opinion. I think that the effects of the Menhaden fishery is similar to the corn for ethanol scheme. By removing these fish from the food chain it no doubt effects the fish that rely on them for food. The other added benefit of that menhaden, and fish like them offer is the improvement of water quality as they filter feed upon algae, and detritus. Now that "Friend of the Sea" has sold them the sustainability label the fight to protect them might be harder. Below are two recent articles for your consideration: Taken from Asbury Park Press 5/16/2008 Bunker Bills Will Protect This Valuable Resource Two Republican congressmen are pushing legislation that would provide further protection to menhaden stocks that are so vit...

A couple weeks ago I wrote that Copper River salmon would be in New York this week. I was wrong about that, but pricing predictions were more accurate. All seafood prices have been trending up, but with catches roughly one fifth the quota these fish demanded record prices. Prices in the pacific northwest, not including freight costs to the east coast were $15.00 to $17.00 wholesale for Sockeyes, and over $19.00 for Kings. With these kind of prices it had me looking for last seasons frozen production. Unfortunately most of the quality fish has been taken, and what little frozen wild salmon remains is dull, soft and tired fish. I have had some really nice frozen wild salmon to get me through the winters, but the probabilities are diminishing that we will see fresh demand at levels low enough to freeze and store this hot commodity.

SeaFood Business May 21, 2008 - Eight South Pacific island nations on Tuesday agreed to block bigeye and yellowfin tuna fishing in the region's international waters. At the Fourth Forum Fisheries Ministerial Meeting in the Republic of Palau, eight nations - the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu - agreed to prohibit licensed tuna vessels from fishing in two areas marked for protection beginning June 15. Environmental groups praised the decision. "It is the boldest move ever to prevent the overfishing of tuna. It is significant. It has really drawn a line," says Greenpeace campaigner Dean Baigent-Mercer. The nations identified so-called "doughnut holes" as waters that have been overexploited by tuna fishermen. One of the two areas is located north of Papua New Guinea, and the other is further east. Licensed boats operating in the protected waters will ...

SeaFood Business May 21, 2008 - Eight South Pacific island nations on Tuesday agreed to block bigeye and yellowfin tuna fishing in the region's international waters. At the Fourth Forum Fisheries Ministerial Meeting in the Republic of Palau, eight nations - the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu - agreed to prohibit licensed tuna vessels from fishing in two areas marked for protection beginning June 15. Environmental groups praised the decision. "It is the boldest move ever to prevent the overfishing of tuna. It is significant. It has really drawn a line," says Greenpeace campaigner Dean Baigent-Mercer. The nations identified so-called "doughnut holes" as waters that have been overexploited by tuna fishermen. One of the two areas is located north of Papua New Guinea, and the other is further east. Licensed boats operating in the protected waters will hav...

by The Associated Press Thursday May 15, 2008, 7:06 AM A study of 13 Hudson River fish species indicates 10 have declined since the mid-1970s, despite a significant improvement in the river's water quality. One fish, the rainbow smelt, no longer shows up at all in the samplings, the report said. It suggests a variety of causes, ranging from global warming to the invasion of the zebra mussel. But it also points a finger at five power plants that take in river water -- and millions of fish and fish eggs each year -- to cool their equipment. "Even if the power companies are not the sole cause of degradation of the Hudson River fish community, the loss of such high proportions of the fish populations must be important," the report said. The environmental group Riverkeeper, which commissioned the study from Pisces Conservation Ltd., a British consultant, planned to release the study at a riverside news conference Thursday morning. The Associated Press obtained a copy in a...

Turned off by high seafood prices? Maybe the future of seafood is next to the washing machine or the water heater in your basement. It might seem like a far fetched idea, but it is one that increased transportation costs could bring closer to reality. The article below appeared in a recent Mother Earth News. USA.- For the past several years, the good folks at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Washington, D.C. have worked to help urban residents gain greater control over their lives through the use of low-technology, decentralist tools and concepts. [2008-02-22] We strongly believe that more people (city dwellers and country folk alike) should be exposed to the Institute's admirable efforts... which is why we've made this "what's happening where" report by ILSR staffers one of MOTHER'S regular features. Raising fish in the basement—as a means of producing a home supply of inexpensive protein—is an enticing idea to urban and rural dwellers a...

The rising cost of diesel is putting a real strain on many sectors of the seafood industry. Recent articles from all coasts, and overseas are highlighting the plight of fishermen as they struggle to make ends meet. More often than not the choice is to fish or not to fish. When the decision is how much money do I want to lose, it is sometimes better to just stay tied up. A visit to Long Island over a relatively calm weather weekend revealed docks with commercial boats, many with for sale signs. Even charters leaving from Crossbay, New York are making sure that they are completely booked before heading out. So with costs to fishermen up we are seeing dock prices start to skyrocket. That of course means that consumer costs will be steadily rising. The big question is how that affects overall purchases in the future. It could help some species by relieving pressures, but by what factor. And of course their is always someone willing to pay any price. In addition to fueling boats, the seafoo...

Just launched is a new site The Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions . This is just the kind of consolidation that we need. Now that some of those have gotten together to set some basic guidelines for all my fellow fishmongers, chefs, cooks, and consumers to take a good look at. One problem that has troubled the entire issue of seafood sustainability is the fragmented and confusing messages from a myriad of experts. By the way I am not an expert, just a concerned fishmonger trying to make a difference. When I was looking to label all the seafood I currently buy, sell, and stock I collected data from no less than a dozen organizations with different guidelines, I think we are moving in a a better direction. Though brand new, the site offers specific ideas for everyone to use in their efforts at a better future for the oceans. Below is the Alliance's press release Businesses Seeking Expertise from the Conservation Community Now Have Clear Steps for Moving Ahead on Sustainabl...

http://www.seafoodsource.com/NSF-1/rss.rss

CONNECTICUT - NOAA researchers recently evaluated the potential of black sea bass for commercial aquaculture and found promising results. Juvenile black sea bass in the tank at Milford Laboratory. (Credit: NOAA) After two separate culture trials, covering a period of four years, its National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) lab in Milford, Connecticut, has found the species can be reared from larvae using commercial fish farming techniques. Fisheries biologists found that sea bass can thrive in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) eating a diet of commercial pellet feeds. However, the nutritional composition of the feeds used is very important, as bass appear to require different feeds at different life stages to maintain optimal growth. "Black sea bass are a slow growing fish in the wild, but show great promise as an aquaculture species because of its rapid growth in RAS, said NMFS study leader Dean Perr...

In no particular order, but with some leaning towards the northeast. All products should be consistently available fresh this spring and early summer. barramundi , farm raised, United States pollack , wild, mid-trawled, Atlantic and Pacific wild salmon , wild, seine net and line caught. catfish , farmed, United States pacific halibut, wild, line caught, United States and Canada mackerel, wild, net and line caught, Atlantic oysters, all varieties farmed and wild bay scallops, look for Taylor Bays and fresh Mexican bays Squid, wild, Worldwide clams and mussels, especially hand dug, or suspended, United States and Canada crayfish, wild and farmed, United States This list should provide any creative chef or home cook a season of recipes. Your comments and questions are welcome. I have provided links above to help answer some questions you may have. For more about sustainable seafood choices please visit one or more of these sites: Blue Ocean Institute Monterey Bay Seafood Choices Alliance

I received word today that the opening day for the Copper river in Alaska will be May 15th. Prices this year are expected to be quite strong, due lack of fish from the rest of the coastal Pacific region. If you want some of these fish you might want to contact your fishmonger today, and place a pre-order as fish will be scarce to start. Copper river sockeyes and kings should be available for delivery in the New York area by Monday, May 19th. Then we will see an opening bi-weekly through mid June. Prices tend to fall off significantly as the season progresses, so if you can wait a week to buy some slightly more reasonably priced fish. Prices will not see last years levels, as fuel and limited production continue to drive prices despite lessened consumer demand.

I was watching a the National Geographic channel and a program last night about world greenhouse gas production. One thing that struck me as having great truth when it comes to seafood as well was the notion that there is good news and bad news. The good news was that if we could alleviate the problem in China, then we would solve the problem for the world. The bad news was that if we didn't change the way things are going in China almost nothing else matters. This I think is true when it comes to seafood. Already China is the largest producer of seafood and they are soon to become the biggest consumer as well. Of course there are hundreds of reasons why this is true including the vast number of people, and the growing level of wealth that gives China such incredible buying power. I have read the following report that was put together in late 2006 by Glitner. Chinese Seafood For seafood consumption in China will increase by more than 40 per cent by 2020

For those of you with an appetite for information about farmed seafood, and seafood sustainability I have a new site to recommend . That site is for the Urban Aquaculture Center, a group of people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin of all places dedicated to aquaculture and seafood awareness. Below is a copy of their mission statement: The Urban Aquaculture Center’s mission is to: PROMOTE urban aquaculture in Milwaukee through a fully operational demonstration facility and informational campaign PRODUCE high quality aquaculture products to help meet the area’s consumption needs and reduce dependence on imported food sources PREPARE citizens to live in a sustainable way through educational exhibits and community demonstrations on urban aquaculture and its global benefits Check them out URBAN AQUACULTURE CENTER