Halibut is prized for its delicate sweet flavor, snow-white color and firm flaky meat. It is an excellent source of high-quality protein and minerals, low in sodium, fat and calories and contains a minimum of bones. Halibut is very versatile in the kitchen, as well, with many recipes for baking, broiling, pan-frying, deep-frying, poaching or barbecuing. A fletch refers to a large halibut fillet. One halibut will yield four fletches. Halibut also yield roundish cheeks which are extracted from their head area. The cheeks are located on the gill flaps of the halibut--one on each side of the mouth.
Halibut cheeks are sweet flavored and are considered a delicacy. |
Bigeye tuna are large deep-bodied streamlined fish with large heads and eyes. The pectoral fins are very long, reaching back as far as the second dorsal fin. There are 13 or 14 dorsal spines. Body colour is dark metallic blue on the back with a grey-white belly and an iridescent blue band running along each flank. The dorsal and anal fins are yellow. Bigeye tuna feed on a wide variety of fishes, cephalopods and crustaceans during the day and at night. The second dorsal fin and the anal fin are both bright yellow, thus the common name, and can be very long in mature specimens, as are the pectoral fins. The main body is very dark metallic blue, changing to silver on the belly, which also has about 20 vertical lines. School of yellowfin tunaYellowfins tend to school with fishes of the same size, including other species of tuna, and larger fish are often seen with dolphins, porpoises, whales and whale sharks. Yellowfins eat other fish, crustaceans, and squid. Commercial fisheries catch yellowfin tuna with encircling nets (purse seines) and with longlines. The fish are mainly sold in frozen or canned form, but are also popular as sashimi. Yellowfin tuna are a popular sport fish in many parts of their range and are prized for their speed and strength when fought on rod and reel as well as for their table qualities. Yellowfin is also popular in restaurants as the primary protein in an entree; presented in much the same fashion as fine red meat, it is often cooked seared to rare to medium-rare, though it takes on a rich flavor similar to tri-tip when cooked through. |
Lake whitefish usually feed along the bottom and are generally safe from the sportsman's fishing tackle. But since 1970, commerical fishing nets have annually harvested more than two million pounds from Green Bay and northwestern Lake Michigan. Whitefish school in cold, deep waters and are still plentiful in Lake Superior and the northern parts of Lakes Michigan and Huron. However, they have disappeared from some areas where they were once abundant. The funny thing is that's not where we get our fish from. They transplanted this fish to lakes in Canada. A soft, moist whitemeat, Lake Superior Whitefish is very mild and melts in your mouth. |
This sweet-flavored fish from Hawaii is tuna-like in texture but much more moist. Served broiled and with a slice of pineapple on top. The Mahi Mahi is one of Seafare's best selling specials. It is also great Cajun style. |
Sturgeon are bottom-feeders. With their projecting wedgeshaped snout they stir up the soft bottom, and by means of their sensitive barbels detect shells, crustaceans and small fish, on which they feed. Having no teeth, they are unable to seize larger prey. Only a few of the species are exclusively confined to fresh water. Sturgeon are confined to the Northern Hemisphere and do not inhabit tropical regions. Sturgeon is a sweet, semi-firm whitefish with just a hint of chicken breast flavor. Now being farmed, Sturgeon is becoming much more common on restaurant menus, but also wild sturgeon is readily available. It is one of Seafare's most requested specials and is Scott's personal favorite. Sorry, don't expect any caviar, these are virgin sturgeon. |
Clams at this time were at an all time high, everybody who came to Ipswich looked forward to a feed of clams, either chowder or steamed. Visiting organizations expected to be fed clam chowder, and they most always got it. Some men became noted for their clam chowders. At this time clams were shipped almost wholly in the shell. There were dealers who bought the clams from the clammers and shipped them to Boston. In the summer a whole boxcar would be filled with clams, sometimes nearly 300 barrels in one tide. Small clams were used only for clambakes or free lunches and steamed clams were a favorite; the clam liquor tended to offset the effects of the alcohol and at the same time created a thirst so that a patron could drink more. Considered by customers to be a great delicacy, whole Ipswich Clams are not a processed strip that you find in most restaurants. This is the whole clam (bellies and all). Breaded and fried to order, people come from all over Southern California because of it's extreme rarity on menus. |
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For a long time, they were all united in the genus Tilapia, but nowadays, genera Oreochromis and Sarotherodon are considered distinct. The delimitation of these genera among each other and to other tilapiines requires more research; mtDNA sequence are confounded by the fact that at least among the species of any one genus, there is frequent hybridization. The species remaining in Tilapia in particular still seem to be a paraphyletic assemblage. Tilapia, pronounced (tee' la' pe' ah) is a very moist, soft, mild white fish originally from the Nile River. It is farm raised in various regions across the US now. Tilapia's mild flavor and almost always boneless filets has made it extremely popular at the Seafare. Tilapia is a great fish to get cajun style or with our lemon pepper, because of its extremely soft texture. |
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This monkfish has three long filaments sprouting from the middle of its head; these are the detached and modified three first spines of the anterior dorsal fin. As with all anglerfish species, the longest filament is the first, which terminates in an irregular growth of flesh, and is movable in all directions; this "tentacle" is used as a lure to attract other fishes, which the monkfish then seizes with its enormous jaws, devouring them whole. Experiments have shown, however, that whether the prey has been attracted to the lure or not is not strictly relevant, as the action of the jaws is an automatic reflex triggered by contact with the tentacle. It grows to a length of more than 5 ft.; specimens of 3 ft. are common. Monkfish is A.K.A. "The Poorman's Lobster". This name comes from the texture and preparation techniques more than from the flavor. But it is still a very sweet, white fish. This is Steve's personal favorite. He likes it served as a sandwich. The monkfish is as ugly as anything that swims in the sea. But don't let this deter you. This fish from the Boston area, is a great seller. |
Thresher sharks are fairly slender, with small dorsal fins and large, recurved pectoral fins. With the exception of the Bigeye thresher, these sharks have relatively small eyes. Coloration ranges from brownish, bluish or purplish gray dorsally with lighter shades ventrally. The three species can be roughly distinguished by the main color of the dorsal surface of the body. Common threshers are dark green, Bigeye threshers are brown and Pelagic threshers are generally blue. Lighting conditions and water clarity can affect how any one shark appears to an observer, but the color test is generally supported when other features are examined. Thresher Shark is similar in texture to swordfish. An offwhite meat with a spicy flavor, shark is becoming more and more rare on our menu. Surprisingly, the price is still stable. |
Starting in October, lingcod migrate to nearshore spawning grounds. The males migrate first, and establish nest sites in strong current areas in rock crevices or on ledges. Spawning takes place between December and March, and females leave the nest site immediately after depositing eggs. Males actively defend the nest from predators until the eggs hatch in early March through late April. The photo to the right shows a nest-guarding male protecting his egg mass. The larvae are pelagic until late May or early June when they settle to the bottom as juveniles. Initially they inhabit eel grass beds, and eventually move to flat sandy areas that are not typical habitat of older lingcod. They eventually settle in habitats of similar relief and substrate as older lingcod, but remain at shallower depths for several years. A mild white fish, Lingcod is a fish from the seabass family. Delicate and mild in flavor, Lingcod originates from the Northwest of Oregon and Washington State. Lingcod has long been a favorite of Seafare customers. The Seafare Inn serves Lingcod grilled with a crackermeal coating to help seal in the moisture. |
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The magnificent colouration, excellent quality of flesh, fighting spirit, and relative inaccessibility of this fish have combined to make it a highly desirable quarry for many affluent North American anglers. Unfortunately, increased fishing pressure added to resource development in the Arctic pose a threat to char populations. Arctic char are streamlined fish and typically troutlike. They belong to the char group of the salmon family and there are two subgroups - a sea-run group and a freshwater or land-locked group. The sea-run fish are larger, commonly weighing 2.3 to 4.5 kg, while the lake dwellers range in weight from 0.2 to 2.3 kg. The largest Arctic char on record was caught in Tree River, N.W.T, in 1970 and weighed 12.2 kg. The colour of these fish is extremely variable. Sea-run adults are commonly deep blue or blue-green over the back, shading to glistening silver on the sides and white over the belly. A distinguishing feature is a series of large, round spots, usually violet-pink, scattered on the sides. Breeding fish of both subgroups exhibit brilliant red colouration on the sides, underparts, and lower fins. Circumpolar in distribution, Arctic char are native to far northern streams and lakes of North America, Asia, Europe, Iceland and Greenland. They are found in North America from Alaska around the Bering Sea and along the Arctic coast as far as Baffin Island. Except in the larger rivers, they seldom range far inland, although there are a few pockets of freshwater char as far south as Newfoundland, New Brunswick and the lakes of southeastern Quebec. In the Northwest Territories, their distribution includes most coastal rivers, some coastal lakes, the streams of the high Arctic islands and several islands in Hudson Bay. Char fisheries at Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay, Pelly Bay and Nettilling Lake account for most of the commercial catch, which is taken with gillnets. Sea-run fish are the principal target of the sport fishermen, who catch them mainly in late summer and early fall when, after a summer of feeding at sea, they are heaviest. Most of the sport fishing occurs in coastal streams in the vicinity of Rankin Inlet, in streams entering Coronation and Queen Maud Gulf, and on Baffin Island. Arctic char is marketed mainly fresh and frozen as whole dressed fish and steaks. A small quantity is canned. In whatever form, it is a highly priced delicacy. The flesh varies in colour and may be red, pink or white, with the red commanding the highest price. Tastewise, it is said to combine the delicious flavours of brook trout and salmon. |
 The mighty Copper River is one of the longest and most rugged rivers in Alaska. Twisting and cutting deeply through the Wrangell and Chugach mountains, it's 300 mile stretch of pristine glacier-fed waters are riddled by hundreds of rapids.
Every May, around the 15th, the first salmon of the season return to the rivers and streams of Alaska with the Copper River being one of the first. King, Sockeye, and Silver salmon embark on long journeys up the Copper River to spawn and lay their eggs. As salmon begin their last journey up this home stretch and prepare to mate, their feeding habits diminish. Because the Copper River salmon's journey is so long, they must store extra fat and oils in order to survive the long trip. This high fat and oil content is why Copper River salmon are recognized as some of the world's best eating salmon. Copper River salmon are bright silvery salmon with a bright red flesh, a firm texture, and a rich flavor that makes them a very delicious dining experience whose popularity is rapidly growing. |
 The orange roughy is a relatively large deep-sea fish belonging to the slimehead family (Trachichthyidae). This fish is categorized as vulnerable to exploitation by the Marine Conservation Society. It is found in cold (3 to 9 °C), deep (bathypelagic, 180 to 1,800 m) waters of the western Atlantic Ocean (off southern Newfoundland), eastern Atlantic (from Iceland to Morocco; and from Walvis Bay, Namibia, to off Durban, South Africa), Indo-Pacific (off New Zealand and Australia), and in the Eastern Pacific off Chile. The orange roughy is notable for its great age — a recorded (but hotly disputed) maximum of 149 years — and great importance to commercial deep trawl fishery. Actually a bright brick red in life, the orange roughy fades to a yellowish orange after death.
Like other slimeheads, the orange roughy is slow-growing and late to mature, resulting in a very low resilience. They are extremely susceptible to overfishing because of this, and many stocks (especially those off New Zealand and Australia, which were first exploited in the late 1970s) have already crashed; recently discovered substitute stocks are rapidly dwindling. Even so, the United States continues to import up to 8,620 tonnes (19 million lb) of orange roughy per year. The flesh is firm with a mild flavour; it is sold skinned and filleted, fresh or frozen. |
Halibut are among the largest fish in the sea and the largest of all the flatfish. They can grow to more than 8 ft long and 700 lbs. Halibut weighing in at more than 100 pounds are often called "Whales", "Soakers", or even "Barn Doors", while smaller halibut, less than 20 pounds, are often called "Chickens". The largest halibut ever caught while sport fishing was 459 lbs. in Unalaska Bay.
Ahi refers to two species, bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). In Hawaii, shibi is another name for yellowfin tuna. The yellowfin gains its name because the soft dorsal and anal fins and finlets are bright yellow in color. The dorsal and anal fins lengthen with age. Yellowfin range from the ocean surface to depths below 100 fathoms.
Lake whitefish were long prized for the delectable quality of their meat. In 1836, a scientist in the field wrote, "We can say from personal experience that a diet of whitefish along, with no other food, can be eaten for days without losing its appeal." 
The Mahi-mahi, Coryphaena hippurus, also known as dolphin, common dolphin-fish, dorado maverikos, or lampuka (in Maltese) are surface-dwelling ray-finned fish found in off-shore tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. They are one of only two members of the Coryphaenidae family, the other being the Pompano dolphinfish. The name "mahi-mahi" ("strong-strong" in Hawaiian), particularly used on restaurant menus, has been adopted in recent years to avoid confusing these fish with dolphins, which are mammals.
Sturgeon is a term for a genus of fish (Acipenser) of which 26 species are known. One of the oldest genera of fish in existence, they are native to European, Asian, and North American waters. Sturgeons ranging from 7 -12 feet in length are by no means scarce, and some species grow up to 14 feet.
The story of the clam as a commercial project has seen many changes. It was after the Civil War that clamming really became a business. The early business was strictly for bait. The clams were shelled, but not cleaned, packed in barrels and salted and shipped to fishing ports for bait. Very few clams were eaten at this time, particularly in Ipswich. In fact, it was said, "that family is so poor they have to eat clams." Soon the story changed and clams became a popular dish – clam chowder, steamed clams and other ways of cooking them. Contrary to demand today, the trend then was for big clams, the bigger the better. Clams for frying were the biggest you could get. Big clams were shipped to New York where they shelled them and sold them by the dozen.
Trout that live in different environments can have dramatically different colorations and patterns. Mostly, these colors and patterns form as camouflage, based on the surroundings, and will change as the fish moves to different habitats. Trout in, or newly returned from the sea, can look very silvery, while the same "genetic" fish living in a small stream or in an alpine lake could have pronounced markings and more vivid coloration. It is virtually impossible to define a particular color pattern as belonging to a specific breed; however, in general, wild fish are claimed to have more vivid colors and patterns. 
Catfish (order Siluriformes) are a very diverse group of bony fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which give the image of cat-like whiskers. Catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest, the Mekong giant catfish in Southeast Asia and the longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores (species that eat dead material on the bottom), and even to a tiny parasitic species commonly called the candiru, Vandellia cirrhosa. There are armour-plated types and also naked types, neither having scales. Despite their common name, not all catfish have prominent barbels; what defines a fish as being in the order Siluriformes are in fact certain features of the skull and swimbladder. Catfish are of considerable commercial importance; many of the larger species are farmed or fished for food, and some are exploited for sport fishing, including a kind known as noodling. Many of the smaller species, particularly the genus Corydoras, are important in the aquarium hobby.
Tilapia is the common name for nearly 100 species of cichlid fishes from the tilapiine cichlid tribe. Tilapias inhabit a variety of fresh and, less commonly, brackish water habitats from shallow streams and ponds through to rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Most tilapias are omnivorous with a preference for soft aquatic vegetation and detritus. They have historically been of major importance in artisanal fishing in Africa and the Levant, and are of increasing importance in aquaculture around the world (see tilapia in aquaculture). Where tilapia have been deliberately or accidentally introduced, they have frequently become problematic invasive species (see tilapia as exotic species).
The Blue Point oyster was named for Blue Point, Long Island in New York, where this exceptionally fine oyster was first discovered. The name is now generally used for any medium size (2 to 4 inches) Atlantic oyster eaten raw. Once you're past the hard shell, your reward is a mild, creamy oyster with an unforgettable fresh seafood flavor. Harvested from beds in New England and and Long Island, oysters are carefully inspected and shipped live.
True shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Together with prawns, they are widely caught and farmed for human consumption.
Most of the fish referred to as monkfish belong to the genus Lophius, in the anglerfish family Lophiidae. Monkfish is the most common English name for this genus in the northwest Atlantic but goosefish is used as the equivalent term on the eastern coast of North America. It is also refered to as a poor man's lobster because of its texture and taste when cooked. As the most common anglerfish found in coastal waters around the British Isles, it can be known by that name alone.
Named for and easily recognised by their exceptionally long, thresher-like tail or caudal fins (which account for 1/3 (33%) of their total body length), thresher sharks are active predators; the tail is actually used as a weapon to stun prey. By far the largest of the three species is the Common thresher, Alopias vulpinus, which may reach a length of 7.6 m (25 ft) and a weight of 348 kg (767 lb). The Bigeye thresher, Alopias superciliosus, is next in size, reaching a length of 4.9 m (16 ft); at just 3 m (10 ft), the Pelagic thresher, Alopias pelagicus, is the smallest.
Lingcod are unique to the west coast of North America, with the center of abundance off the coast of British Columbia. in Alaska there are many that reach 70 lbs. They are found on the bottom with most individuals occupying rocky areas at depths of 10 to 100 m. Tagging studies have shown that lingcod are a largely non-migratory species, with colonization and recruitment occurring in localized areas only. [2]
Big, round, and silvery, this colorful denizen of the slopes along tropical "seamounts" looks like a Moonfish — which is actually its other name. Sporting crimson fins and golden circles around its eyes, as well, the impressive-looking Opah can grow to a hefty 200lbs and offers four different-colored types of meat. 
The Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) has the most northerly distribution of any of the freshwater fish. It is the dominant species of the Arctic coast, and for centuries has been an important food resource of the Inuit. However, only since the late 1940s has it been caught commercially and shipped south to become a gourmet restaurant item in many large North American cities. Recent fisheries statistics indicate that, after the whitefish, it is the second most valuable catch in the Northwest Territories.