APRIL 2015

APRIL SEAFOOD HIGHLIGHTS By Tim Sughrue

Spring traditionally begins in March but this year has been quite different. Winter held its grip across the country through most of March and spring like weather is just now becoming the norm along the mid Atlantic.

Alaskan halibut season started in mid March and these high quality 20/40 lb. fish are now consistently available each week. Their season will run through October and are an excellent choice for any spring menu changes. We saw the first of the season live soft crabs last week out of Florida. Peeler runs will slowly make their way up the coast over the next month. We anticipate the Chesapeake Bay soft crab run not starting until early to mid May.

The blue crabs are starting to "crawl" in the Gulf with the warmer temperatures. Picking houses in Bayou La Batre Alabama are now picking several days a week. Prices will trend downward to their traditional summer price range by the end of April. Fresh Maryland crabmeat is realistically at least a month away. After two of the worst crab harvest years on record in the Chesapeake Bay, and the lowest female population (65 million crabs versus a target population of 225 million) in over a decade, Virginia is making the bold statement in saying their blue crab population is already on the rebound. This is based solely on this winter's dredge survey. Let's hope they are correct but in severe cold winters like the one we just went through, "winter kill" on crabs can be a significant factor. Maryland has yet to release their survey results. The life cycle of a Chesapeake Bay blue crab is short (about three years), so they have the ability to rebound quickly.

Super cold water temps in Maine and Canada are keeping the live lobster market in the stratosphere. Prices should fall by the end of April. Areas around many of the Canadian Maritime provinces will open by the third week of this month. Record snow (16 feet) and ice in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island has made all Canadian shellfish a hit or miss proposition over the last month. The mussel farms in PEI should be ice free by the last week of April.

The wild rockfish market will trend upwards in April. Maryland is closed until June 1 and Virginia has a maximum size limit now of 28 inches. Most Virginia fishermen have picked up their nets and are gearing up for crab season. Delaware Bay fishermen will tag some wild rockfish now that Virginia volume has dropped off.

Wild blue catfish sales are very strong. We drive our trucks down into the Northern Neck of tidewater Virginia daily and buy directly from the fishermen. The fish are brought to the dock alive and iced immediately. The quality of the fillets is spectacular. Please help support your local Chesapeake fishermen, their communities, and all the native species of the Chesapeake Bay and sell this way too abundant invasive species. Your customers will be glad you did.

The wild salmon season is only about 7 weeks away (Copper River). Currently there are a few wild troll caught kings being landed in Oregon. Prices are stiff with whole fish in the low teens. Contact your sales rep if you are brave enough.

You don't have to be very brave to sell Atlantic salmon these days. The world supply is more than adequate for the demand. Prices are low and should remain that way all year. We have three popular salmon programs at Congressional - Canadian Atlantic (True North Fish) - Norwegian salmon (Leroy Group) imported directly and Wester Ross all natural Scottish Salmon - let your sales rep know which salmon program fits your needs the best.

As the summer approaches, the tuna population in the Gulf of Mexico increases with an influx of fish from the Caribbean. We have tuna of all shapes and sizes - tuna to fit every budget - from sushi grade number 1's to 2+ to 2's to 40/60's to chunks, Albacores and more - set up a meeting with your sales rep to go over fresh tuna options for the busy summer season.

BLUE CATS ARE BACK $4.99 lb.

With the spring thaw, the Chesapeake Bay wild blue catfish have awoken from their slumber and exploded onto the fish scene. They are trapping in the hoop nets and pound nets, biting on the trot lines, and being snared in the rockfish gill-nets. Fish-

ermen from Montross Virginia to Colonial Beach to Charlotte Hall Maryland are landing these tasty critters. WE NEED YOUR HELP RIGHT NOW !!!!!

We have written extensively about the damage to the Chesapeake Bay's ecosystem caused by the current 100 million fish blue cat population. They eat millions of juvenile and adult rockfish, blue crabs,

menhaden, shad, herring, white perch, yellow perch and much much more. If that isn't bad enough, a blue cat's diet

consists primarily of fish eggs (during the spring spawning season) for two months of the year. That is how they have completely taken over the James River where they were

first introduced. The James is almost 80% blue cat today -- they ate everything else in the river. Wild blue cats are now found in every single tributary in the Chesapeake. THEY

ARE THE GREATEST ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT THE BAY HAS EVER FACED.

Chesapeake Bay wild blue cat fillets are now $4.99. It is highly unlikely that price will go higher in the next 75 days. Please put this fish on your menu immediately. It's flesh is snow white. The fillets can be grilled and or pan seared, not just fried. It

tastes better than a rockfish because it eats everything a rockfish eats including rockfish !!!

If you believe in buying sustainable fish, blue cats have a "GREEN RATING" from

the Blue Ocean Institute. If you believe in buying local Chesapeake

fish from local Chesapeake fishermen, blue cats are the one. If

you believe in supporting local communities around the Bay re-

gion, blue cats are the ticket. And finally, if you believe in protect-

ing the Chesapeake Bay's native species from the greatest environ-

mental threat anyone has ever seen, then you must sell blue cats

to the best of your abilities. We thank you for your participation.

On the weekend of March 27, 2015, Congressional Seafood’s Corporate Chef David Fye took a trip to Westport, Connecticut. Chef Fye took his talents to Balducci’s to a demonstration and dole out some samples of wild Alaskan Halibut. Served with a variety of sauces (sun dried tomato pesto, mango chutney, and a tomato-olive creation), patrons were treated to a fresh, mild, delicious fish. The verdict? People loved it!

Name of Employee: Clifton Johnson

Year of Hire: 2000

Role at Congressional: Warehouse Manager

Favorite fish and why: Chilean Sea Bass because

it melts in your mouth

Favorite sports team: Dallas Cowboys

Dream vacation: Tahiti

APRIL 2015

Passover April 4—Apr 11

Easter Sunday, April 5

Opening Day Monday, April 6

RAM Gala Sunday, April 12

Taste of the Nation Monday, April 13

RAMMY Breakfast Tuesday, April 21

Capital Area Food Bank-Blue Jean Ball Sunday, April 26

Coming Up in May:

Mother’s Day Sunday, May 10

For over two decades Jensen Tuna and Gulf Fish

have earned a solid reputation as successful pro-

ducers of pure, high-quality seafood products. The

reason is simple: we are in the unique position of

being able to control the entire process of har-

vesting, processing, and packaging of our products.

This, in turn, gives Jensen Tuna and Gulf Fish the

flexibility to customize our end products in order to

meet our customers’ needs and goals. The result:

high-quality, competitively priced products that

truly stand out in the marketplace.

RICH NOWOSIELSKI

OPERATIONS MANAGER

CONGRESSIONAL SEAFOOD CO.

BOSTON SEAFOOD

SHOW 2015

Grilled Tuna with Puttanesca Relish

For the relish: 1/2 cup finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained 1/4 cup finely chopped oil-cured olives 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar 2 Tbs. chopped capers 2 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 Tbs. minced shallot 2 tsp. minced fresh oregano 1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest 1/4 tsp. lemon grated zest

4 ea. minced anchovy fillets 1 tsp. crushed red pepper freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients and allow to sit at least an hour for flavors to develop and come together. Can be made ahead up to 2 days. (Even Better!)

For the tuna: 1-1/2 Tbs. olive oil; more for brushing the grill Four to six 1-1/4-inch-thick tuna steaks (6 to 8 oz. each) 1 tsp. kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Grill the tuna: Clean and oil the grates on a gas grill and heat the grill to medium high, or prepare a

medium-hot charcoal fire. Meanwhile, generously coat both sides of the tuna with the oil and season both sides

with salt. Let the tuna sit at room temperature for 15 minutes (while the grill heats). Grill the tuna steaks directly over the heat source (covered on a gas grill, uncovered

on a charcoal grill), without touching, until they have good grill marks, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip the steaks and grill until the second sides have good grill marks and the fish is done to your liking, another 2 to 4 minutes. (Check for doneness by slicing into one of

the thicker pieces.) Serve immediately, topped with the relish.

David Fye

Corporate Chef

Albacore Tuna

Baramundi

Black Cod

Black Drum

Blue Catfish, VA

Catfish

Cod, East Coast

Crab, Venezuela

Escolar

Fluke, RI

Tile

Grouper, Gulf of Mexico

Halibut, East Coast

Halibut, West Coast

Mahi, South America

Monk

Oysters, Chesapeake

Pollock

Razor Clams

Sea Bass, Chilean

Shad

Snapper

Sword, Domestic

Tuna (Yellowfin)

Walleye

Sponsorship Opportuntiies

Now Available

Call for details!

FINvitational 2015

Monday, August 10

Congressional Seafood Co. April 2015Newsletter Produced by KSM Marketing Contributing Writers: David Fye, Joe Hurwitz