Market Update- October 3rd

Market Updates:

Scallop:
Scallop fishermen have caught a little over 60% of the 2019 quota. Much of the catch lately has been smaller sizes, so there is pressure on U-15 and larger scallops. Prices will be going up on these gradually over the next few weeks.

Lake Fish:
Not much has changed on the lake this week. Walleye production has improved but not yet to full fall season stride. Expect good Walleye supply going forward. Yellow Perch supply is still at summertime levels, but fall production is expected to be good. Yellow Perch at this time of the year is at its best. The fish have been feeding all summer and are fattening up nicely. As the Lake waters cool the fish will feed more rapidly to fatten up even more for the long winter ahead. We will have fresh Yellow Perch from now until quota is met which should happen in the next month. We will have frozen Yellow Perch until freezer stocks are depleted late winter or early spring.

North Atlantic Swordfish:
We expect the fall Swordfish season to pick up and continue well into October. The Sword fleets from Maritime Canada, Gloucester and Boston target the migrating fish as arrive at their furthest North feeding location (near the Flemish Cap in the North Atlantic).The fleets target the years’ best Swordfish for the short fall season before the fish start their migration South into warmer waters for the winter. These are short trip high fat content Swordfish. Usually a good run of landings will take place within 7 to 10 days after a full moon and continue for a week or so and then pick back up with the next full moon. The September full moon was on the 14th and the next will be October 13th.

Featured Specialty Seafood:

Specialty Seafood Availability:

• Mahi Mahi | Ecuador
• Yellowfin Tuna | USA
• Pompano | USA
• Golden Tilefish | USA
• Kingklip | Costa Rica
• Black Grouper |Mexico
• Gulf Wild American Red Snapper | USA
• Caribbean Red Snapper | Mexico
• Pacific Lane Snapper

Featured Oyster:

WHALEBACK OYSTERS

Harvest Location: Damariscotta River, ME

The Story: Named after the nearby Whaleback Shell Midden which is a shell dump, consisting primarily of oyster shells located on the east side of the Damariscotta River. It is preserved as a Maine state historic site. The “middens” (or shell dumps) in this area were formed over 1,000 years between 200 BC to AD 1000 suggesting that native Americans enjoyed slurping a good oyster as much as we do today!

Harvest Location: Grown in floating surface equipment in Blackstone Narrows- Maine’s most revered oyster region–where the current howls through and the temps are warm.

Flavor Profile: A rugged brine, followed by hefty midtones and an abrupt clean finish.

East Coast Oyster Availability:

• Whaleback
• Damariscotta River, ME
  Rugged brine, followed by hefty midtones and an abrubt clean finish
• Misty Point
  VA
  3”/ High salinity up front finishing sweet with a hint of celery and grass
• Malpeque
  West Shores of Malpeque Bay – PEI, Canada
  3.25″/ Medium salt with a buttery, full-bodied finish
• Moondancers
  Damariscotta River, ME
  Very briny with a sweet finish
• Boomamoto
  MA
  Deep cupped, large meats
• Pink Ribbon
  Long Island Sound
  Uniformly cleaned and graded by hand- unique briny flavor with a crisp, meaty texture and a sweet finish with lingering brine (25% net revenue of every oyster is donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.)
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Featured Oyster:

ROCKPOINT OYSTERS

Harvest Location: North Dabob Bay, Washington

Size: 2.5 – 3 Inches

Availability: Year-Round

Flavor Profile: Crisp and salty with fresh, grassy green notes.

Description: Beach raised; strong shells, medium depth cups with generous meat.

West Coast Oyster Availability:

• Big Cove
  Southern South Puget Sound, WA
  Mildly salty & very sweet with a fruity, melon like finish
• Kumamoto
  Oakland, Washington
  2″ /Mild brine with creamy meats and a honeydew finish
• Midnight Bay
  Hood Canal, WA
  4”/ Full meats, excellent on the half shell and perfect for grilling