Seafood Market News
Get the Inside Scoop on the latest market trends and updates on the seafood industry. Our market news page is updated each month so you can stay on top of seasonal seafood changes and be aware of price fluctuations.
Welcome to the Lusamerica market news page.
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| Wild Fish | Season Information |
|---|---|
| Cod | We are fishing local black cod, otherwise known as sablefish, rock cod, and lingcod off the California coast in the month of October. The season is ongoing. Catch has been very good and we hope it continues into this month, weather permitting. Local fish are of great quality and can be featured on any menu. True cod will continue to be sourced from Canada. We also have Icelandic cod as a new option. It is sweet and mild with large firm flakes. Steamed, roasted, braised, sautéed or fried, it is always a natural favorite. |
| Corvina | Supplies of corvina are becoming tight and prices are on the increase. They are fished all year round along the southwestern side of the Central and South American coasts. Corvina is great for broiling, grilling and pan frying. It is known for its firm white meat and flaky texture. |
| Halibut | The fresh Alaskan halibut season has been quite different from past seasons. Prices are high and show no sign of relief. All sizes are available, but supply of larger fish is extremely tight and demand is high. We expect higher prices through the month of October. Our local halibut should be coming in this month as a potential alternative. Halibut has a firm texture with a gentle flavor. It pairs well with bolder seasonings like pesto, lemon juice and basil. |
| Mahi Mahi | Mahi has tightened up with limited supplies. We are sourcing from several countries. Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico. The quality has been excellent when we can get it, but demand is outstripping supply. Please note that we do have a great refresh program available when fresh supply is short. Refreshed fish are blast frozen as whole fish to maintain good quality and integrity, then thawed and processed into fillets or portions. Like halibut, mahi has a mild flavor, but is more delicate than halibut with a distinct tropical sweetness. |
| Ono and Opah | Ecuador, Hawaii and Southern California will continue to contribute to the supply in July. Availability is spotty, but we will continue to offer these fish when available. Opah/ono quality has been terrific with a nice meat color. Catch it while you can as availability is day by day. This is due to the fact that these fish do not school, and are caught individually by fishermen using longline gear. We are having some good luck with Southern California opah that is of great quality! |
| Salmon, Coho | The fresh season is winding down, but fresh wild coho are still readily available. Prices will be on the increase as availability will start to diminish going into the month, but as of now, fish are still available. With its orange- red flesh, firm texture and delicate flavor, many consider Coho to be the best salmon for all around cooking applications. |
| Salmon, Keta | The season is open and should last through the end of the month in the Pacific Northwest. With a mild flavor and firm flesh, Keta salmon are a great choice for grilling and roasting. Lower cooking temperatures are recommended because of its lower fat content than other wild salmon species. A great feature item. |
| Salmon, King | The wild king salmon season is winding down. We continue to have spotty supply from different regions. Troll caught kings are of great quality, but are commanding high prices. Also known as Chinook, wild Alaskan King Salmon are prized for their color, high oil content, firm texture and succulent flesh. |
| Salmon, Sockeye | The sockeye season is over. We are now featuring our refreshed sockeye as it can be a suitable substitute if sockeye is a menu option. Sockeye are well known for their rich flavor and distinctive deep red flesh, which retains its color throughout all cooking application |
| Seabass | White Sea bass season off the coast of Mexico is open, but fish have been hard to come by. Pacific seabass have been “hit or miss”. They are a great quality white fish that tends to be very mild and not “fishy” in flavor. The larger size fish are 18-20 pounds. Right now, availability is improving. |
| Sole | We are fishing local sole in October from our fishing vessels off the coast of Central California. When weather is bad on the central coast, we have other west coast sources available as a backup. Sole is available all year long and include petrale, dover, rex and arrowtooth. Delicious whether sautéed, roasted, broiled or grilled, it’s a great way to bring local flavor to your table. Sole is very versatile, a great value option, and pairs well with rubs, marinades and sauces. |
| Swordfish | Local California swordfish is available along with swordfish from Hawaii, Mexico, Ecuador and Australia. Although available year-round, supply has been tight. With its mild flavor and firm texture, swordfish is perfect for grilling, and eats like a meat lover’s dream! |
| Tuna, Ahi | #1 ahi longline-caught tuna will be available from Hawaii and the Philippines. #2+ tuna will be in steady supply from Mexico, Costa Rica and Australia. Our #2+ quality is excellent, so give it a sear at your next cookout or prepare a poke’ bowl with your favorite ingredients! |
| Tuna, Albacore | Albacore season is in full swing off the northwest coast. Availability has been good and prices appear to remain steady. Also known as white tuna, it is more delicate than ahi. You can almost compare them to red and white wine. |
| Farmed Fish | Season Information |
|---|---|
| Branzino | This is one of the fastest growing fresh seafood items in the foodservice industry! Its sweet flaky meat is popular in Italian cuisine and the quality has been great. We are stocking the fish with head-on and guts-in. This is the most popular way to prepare it. This farm-raised fish from the Mediterranean is a good item to throw into the mix, as customers continue to look for alternatives to the mainstream seafood offerings. Grill it whole for a unique seafood experience! |
| Catfish | The USA (Mississippi and Alabama) supply was expected to be impacted by hurricane Ida, but the supply chain has survived well with minimal shortages or price increases. Catfish can be baked, grilled or even fried with many seasoning combinations. Try our catfish nuggets! |
| Salmon, Norwegian | Prices appear to be steady as of now. Antibiotic Free (ABF) salmon from Norway has been fairly consistent in supply. This salmon is known for its deep rich flavor as it is raised in its natural habitat in the fjords of Norway. |
| Salmon | The Atlantic Canadian farmed salmon market has stabilized with prices showing a slight decline during the last two weeks of September. Shortages of larger fish continue as the farms are not producing enough fish to keep up with demand. We are stocking Atlantic salmon from all areas, including Florida-based Bluehouse Salmon by Atlantic Sapphire (green rated for sustainability by Seafood Watch). Ask your sales representative for current pricing. |
| Striped Bass | Land-based and farm-raised, this sustainable fish from Texas is a great, clean tasting alternative to many other white fish species. Give it a try and you will love it! The fish is delicious, healthy and extremely versatile. It’s also rated as a green Best Choice by Seafood Watch. |
| Swai | Pricing on swai is steady. This fish is a type of white fish with a mild flavor and flaky texture. It’s a freshwater fish that’s native to the Vietnamese rivers and a type of catfish. |
| Tilapia | Prices are steady at this time. Our tilapia is certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and comes from Mexico, Honduras, Columbia, Brazil and Ecuador. It’s good quality and nice fillet sizes of 5-7 ounces. Tilapia is typically a great value with a mild flavor. |
| Trout | We are stocking an excellent Norwegian steelhead trout which has a high fat content and a larger fillet size. We expect pricing on Norwegian steelhead to be much higher than Canadian. Canadian steelhead is still a great menu option. Domestic rainbow trout remains high, but steady. We experienced price increases last month as farming costs, as well as feed costs, were passed down to the consumer. |
| Shellfish | Season Information |
|---|---|
| Clams and Mussels | Littleneck clams are readily available in 8 count and 13 count per pound sizes. Manila clams are stocked in our Fife, Washington location. The cooler weather in the Northwest has been a welcome sight as harvesting and shelf life have improved. Check out our new, New Zealand cockles. Just in stock! It is winter in New Zealand and the quality is terrific! We also have larger cherry stone clams available. Ask your sales representative for the best variety to meet your demand. We are also stocking Mediterranean mussels in Fife, Washington and Prince Edward Island mussels in Morgan Hill, California. We always have a great variety! |
| Crab, Dungeness | Canadian crab season has opened. Prices are extremely high due to Asian demand, overall U.S. demand and the lack of a substantial seasonal harvest. They are up by at least $2.00 a pound on crabmeat since the middle of last month, but supply has improved into October. |
| Crab, King | All sizes are very low in availability due to high seasonal demand. We are stocking red king crab legs & claws from Russia in the 6-9, 9-12 12-14, and 16-20 sizes when available. The unit of measure is based on legs per 10 pounds. The quality is great, but pricing continues to climb due to labor challenges in harvesting and packing, as well as high demand. Market prices are extremely high going into the month. |
| Crab, Pasteurized | Prices remain extremely strong as we saw major increases and some shortages last month. Fully cooked and ready to eat, many people choose to feature the meat as part of a prepared dish or ingredient. |
| Crawfish | The supply should be in good shape for the month, but pricing is expected to increase due to labor constraints in the harvesting process. Also known as crayfish, craydids and crawdaddies, they are a freshwater crustacean resembling mini lobster. |
| Lobsters | Lobster tail prices are up and will remain high. This is mainly due to past Covid restrictions in harvesting and processing. Both cold and warm water lobsters are in big demand and very tight in availability. Lobster meat prices will also increase as supply struggles to keep up with demand. Live Maine lobster season is rolling, but high priced. |
| Oysters | The producers in the Northwest are looking forward to the cooler months of Autumn. Supply continues to be short on shucked oysters, though, as production struggles to keep up with high demand. This will most likely roll into the holidays. Remember these little live bodies do not like large fluctuations in temperature. Keep them alive at a cool temperature of 34-38 degrees. Carbajals ⃝ Clean and crisp with a pure sea salt flavor, these tide tumbled little guys are known for their deep cup shell and large meat fill. Kumamoto ⃝ This is a deep cupped oyster with a mild brininess and sweet finish. They are the honeydew of the oyster family! Kusshi ⃝ Meaning “Ultimate” in Japanese, they are raised in the deep bay on the east side of Vancouver Island. Don’t let the small size fool you as they have a nice, plump, tender meat fill. Little Skookum ⃝ These are sweet flavored oysters with a mild salinity taste. They are harvested in the shallow waters along the southern tip of the Puget Sound, far away from the salty ocean waters. |
| Scallops | Maine fishing regulators have closed Cobscook, Whiting and Dennys bays for the rest of the fishing season to help conserve the scallop population. Cobscook Bay is home to some of the most productive scallop fishing in the state. Maine has also closed a handful of other scallop fishing areas around the state, including instituting a partial closure of western Casco Bay. The St. Croix River, another key scallop fishing area, will remain open. The market remains extremely high. Fresh scallops are prized by restaurants and seafood markets. Extreme price increases are already happening, especially on the U/10, (under 10 scallops per pound) and should continue through October. A possible option might be to take a look at our 10/20 scallops, as they are not seeing such drastic increases. Another new option that we have just brought in is a selection of all natural Mexican scallops. Ask your sales associate for details! |
| Shrimp | Farmed white shrimp pricing will remain high in October due to lack of production caused by Covid in Asian farming regions. The shortage in labor has caused challenges in harvesting and packing in areas such as India and Southeast Asia, as well as supply chain challenges. The domestic Gulf shrimp season is running and shrimp are available. The smaller cooked shrimp are high in demand and low in availability which will reflect in the cost. Look out for increases in price throughout the month. Black tiger shrimp continues its upswing in pricing due to shortages in 21 count per pound or smaller. Larger sizes, 15 count per pound or higher, may stabilize before the smaller sizes. The wild Mexican shrimp season opens this month. Supply from last year’s harvest is all but depleted, so we look forward to lower pricing and good availability as we get into this month. |
| Shrimp meat | The fresh season is open and supply is looking good! Multiple sizes are now available, so take advantage! It is all natural and wild harvest. This is a great option for seafood salads shrimp ceviche and shrimp cocktail. You can eat it right out of the bucket, or create a nice shrimp meat salad on top of toasted bread! |
Seasonal Chart
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About Lusamerica
Family, woman and minority owned since 1975 distributing seafood to the Western United States.
Tel: (408) 778-7200 | toll free: (800) 974-6622 | email: info@lusamerica.com
