Maine Shrimp Season; The Red Winter

Maine shrimp season began on January 2nd this year, a little later than the usual December start, with a little controversy and alot of concern.  Last year the the shrimpers passed their quota, bringing in 13 million pounds of shrimp.  In response to this officials have sliced this year's quota to 4.4 million pounds, nearly a third of last years harvest.  They feel as though the shrimp may be in danger of being over-harvested. Currently the fishery is in great standing with most third party sustainability ratings.

The problem is, during the winter months this fishery sustains most of the fishermen who will retire their lobster traps and fish nets to re-rig for the shrimp.  Taking shrimp from the fishermen means taking money from their pockets and their families.  The fishermen believe that officials have cut the quotas too short and that the fishery allows for more than the allotted 4.4 million pounds to be harvested sustainably.  It is important to note that some fishermen can not begin work until February 1st because that is the start of trap season, in January only netters get to fish.  Whatever is left of the quota when they begin is yet to be seen, but be sure they have concerns with what will be left for them to harvest.

The debate will go on as to who is right and as to what is right.  This crossroads is not an anomaly in the seafood industry.  The future of every fishery is under concern as stocks are being depleted and more people are eating seafood.  Where we go from here is important and it's not as simple as who is right and who is wrong.  The answers are blurred with differentiating data.  Scientists against fishermen.  Fishermen against officials.  Officials against scientists.  Everyone in the end is going to have to sacrifice, whether it's quotas, votes, pride, or portion sizes.  We can not however continue to sacrifice seafood in the name of distrust and profit.

Maine shrimp are very tasty and are a vibrant sign of life during the harsh Maine winters.  Usually the shrimp show up in markets as live, whole, or cleaned meat.  I prefer my shrimp raw, eating the fresh tails as if they were strawberries picked from the sea.  Many use them in ceviche and sauteing them in butter also works.  They usually are stacked with fresh roe and this adds a delicate saltiness to the sweet meat.  This season will be short for sure, so get to the market while they are still available.  As you enjoy them, try to remember how wonderful such a natural resource can be and I hope you come to the same conclusion that I do;  that it's just as important to enjoy our natural resources as it is to protect them.

Drakes Bay Oysters Closing

Drakes Bay Oyster Company, located just south of Tomales Bay, California, has produced quality oysters for generations.  The Lunny family has run the farm, which is located in the pristine area of Point Reyes National Seashore, for years and pride themselves on producing a high quality, fresh, delicious oyster that is known throughout Northern California as one of the best.  The Drakes Bay Co. is a wonderful steward of the land and their oysters actually help keep the waters clean by filtering and reseeding.

Unfortunately Drakes Bay Oyster Company's time may be coming to an end.  Recently their land lease was not renewed, forcing the Company to halt production.  This event not only marks the end of a company, but the end of a legacy.  The Lunny's legacy is one that is important not only to the entire food industry but to our culture as well.  You see, what they were doing for generations was harvesting quality food products on a regional scale in a way that not only benefitted their surrounding environment, but also their community.  They offer a local product that can be enjoyed by an entire community much in the same way that it has been enjoyed for thousands of years.  Namely, a raw oyster.  When people crack into a raw oyster and taste the pristine waters of Drakes Bay they are taking a trip into the history of the Bay.  The oysters now taste much the same as they did thousands of years ago.

The Drake Farm protects this link into history while ensuring the future harvests for generations to come.  In a country where what we are eating often gets lost in the long chain of production, Drakes Bay Oysters are right there in front of you, produced by the environment, benefitting the environment.  Companies like Drakes are doing the right thing and have been doing the right thing for years.  They are taking care of their environment.  They are producing a natural quality product.  And they are feeding a community while upholding a heritage.  It's disheartening to see this all end, all the while bearing witness as an oyster from hundreds of miles away takes the Drakes Bay's spot in the 'local' market.

Is that a snapper?

Right now there is a lot of heat being brought down on seafood suppliers and their tendencies to stretch the truth and at times outright lie about the authenticity of their product.  It is called mislabeling or creative labeling, but most just see it as flat out fibbing.  I am not convinced it has reached the epidemic proportions that some reports boast, but the fact that it still takes place is certain.  Exactly where along the chain the false advertising takes place is sometimes hard to discern.  Fillets can be disguised from the dock to the wholesaler and this false information eventually makes it into the customers purchase.  In some other cases product is misrepresented at the market level intentionally in order to sell that item, or for what ever reason.  No matter where it takes place, mislabeling is wrong, but that is not the final answer.

If you take a long, hard look at the seafood industry, mislabeling, or what I like to call creative labeling, is built into the system.  Local names for fish have always precedented over species specific names in given areas.  After time, these names have been accepted as market trading names.  Take our very own Maryland rockfish for example.  What we call rockfish in Maryland and Virginia goes by the name of striped bass farther north in New York and Massachusetts.  Technically striped bass is the official name.  If you ask someone from California to show you what a rockfish looks like you will get a picture of a much different looking fish, one with spikes on its head, large bulging eyes, and coloration that goes from brown to red to black.  People from the Chesapeake Bay area would be hard pressed to recognize this fish as rockfish, but guess what, technically speaking the west coasters are right, the accepted name of rockfish represents that west coast species.  On the flip side would it be appropriate for someone from the west coast to come into a D.C. fish market and cry mislabeling when what is offered as rockfish is actually a fish they might have never seen before, a beautiful local delicacy also known as striped bass?  They would probably get a few looks from the people behind the counter and other customers.

There are many more examples from which to pull.  How many of you have heard of Sablefish?  Ok, how about Black Cod?  Here's the funny thing, it's the same fish.  But don't get too comfortable, sablefish is black, but it is definitely not a cod, it's a completely different species.  In order to promote this delicious fish and get people to try it, the name was switched to offer something people were more familiar with, cod.  This worked and people loved the fish so much so that now it can be a little hard to find.  What about New Zealand Snappers?  The market trading name is a snapper, but these fish are actually a type of bream.  Redfish anyone?  Would you be referring to the Texas or North Atlantic variety?  Ahi tuna?  Would that be bigeye or yellowfin?  Both are accepted.   The list goes on and on, in some cases the same name applies to different fish in completely different bodies of water, in some cases a cod is not a cod and a snapper is not a snapper.

This creative labeling has been built into the system of buying and selling fish and seafood products and is a completely different phenomenon than what I like to call 'conscientious mislabeling'.  Mislabeling becomes problematic for the customer and the industry when a certain species is intentionally labeled as a different species.  Here's an example of the difference; Labeling a sablefish as black cod is different than labeling a sablefish as atlantic cod.  Black cod is a selling term.  Atlantic cod is a completely different, and established species.  The difference between the creative labeling and mislabeling may seem slight, but there is a huge gulf between the two.  That difference is in the intention of the seller and their relationship to the product.  If I know that a product is one species and I convince you that it is actually another in order to sell that product, then I have committed fraud.  If I recognize that there is an understanding that the product I am selling goes by different names and my customer understands what they are buying, then I have delivered a product using an accepted convenance of advertisement.  If my intentions are to deceive the customer, then I have lied.  Its that simple.  If a fillet is represented as something it is not, that is lying, that is wrong.

So how does a customer avoid being duped?  Start by shopping at fish specialty markets.  Patronize establishments that bring in fish whole.  People who specialize in seafood and actually break down products in their own building usually have a better understanding of what they are working with and have less of a chance of being duped themselves by an unscrupulous wholesaler.  Go to markets that present their products in a clean and orderly manner.  Make sure signs are marked clearly and you should get the feeling that the market staff is eager to share information.  Beware of markets where the fish seem to be underpriced.  Usually if there is a 'deal' on seafood products then there is a very good reason, and that does not normally bode well for the consumer.  Most importantly, ask questions.  It is your right as a customer to be informed, correctly informed.

Here's some help finding those oysters you can't remember

So many times people get stumped looking for that oyster they had the last time, looking for that experience they so fondly remember.  This guide is to help point you in the right direction.  Keep on shuckin.

Oysters, Tasting the Waters

Oysters have intimidated, tantalized, and enamored people for centuries.   They have made journeys up and down the social ladder throughout their edible lifetime, going from being the exceptional delights reserved for Roman Emperors to the cheap eats peddled to peasants and fed to migrant workers.  Almost wiped out across oceans everywhere, you will not find one bite now for less than a dollar and in some cases or varieties you won’t get to savor that exquisite morsel for less than four dollars a shot. 

How brave the first person must have been who succumbed to the temptation of an oyster.  Looking across oyster bars in every city you can point out the novices with the same nervous appetite in their eyes as they dip into the bi-valves world with their first tryst.  Many will shutter at the texture, the complexity of the flavor, overwhelmed by the power packed in such a small bite.  Most will get that tingle that runs from their lips over their tongue and electrocutes their bodies all the way down.  After trying to figure out what just happened, they will ask for another bite, anticipating the exciting magic that happens between the shells and eager to explore all the nuances each variety can deliver.    

Here is a short guide to prepare you for what to expect from the different species that you will most likely encounter in oyster havens across the world.  The names of the varieties will change, but there are some helpful characteristics of each species that can point you to the oyster experience you are looking for.  Remember that oysters reflect the flavors of the waters they inhabit.  That means oysters separated by only a mile of open water can taste entirely different in their subtle qualities.  As a general guide these flavor profiles will be helpful in preparing you for approaching oyster; as for the experience of tasting, well, each oyster is a once in a lifetime event. 

Maine Belon Oysters – Ostrea Edulis – These oysters are European Flat oysters native to Europe and were planted by scientists in Maine in the 1950’s.  The Belon name comes from France where the native oysters are no longer found.  The Maine Belons are wild caught and only about 5,000 oysters are harvested now, making them one of the rarest oysters in the world.  These oysters are not for the novice.  They are very strong in flavor and often dry and chewy.  Flavors to look for are copper, mineral, fish, and umami. 

East Coast Oysters – Crassostrea Virginica – East Coast oysters range from the Gulf of Mexico to the upper reaches of Canada’s Maritimes.  Typically virginicas grown in southern waters are softer in flesh, larger in size, and milder in salinity.  They tend to have a buttery mouth feel and subtle sweetness.  Virginicas found in more northern waters tend to have a crispy texture, higher salinity, and are usually full of complex mineral flavors.  Many of the virginicas found north of Massachusetts tend to have a bright lemon burst and a vegetable finish reminiscent of chewing on celery.   

Pacific Oysters – Crassostrea Gigas – Pacific oysters are fast growing oysters found along the West Coast from Mexico to British Columbia.  The shells are usually fluted and just about all are farm raised; gigas seed is originally from Japan.   Most gigas will offer a small amount of brine when compared to vriginicas and instead deliver a mad scientist’s dream of assorted, complex flavors ranging between lemon, apple, melon, steel, seaweed, algae, cream, and butter.   Many oysters from this species will begin with algae or mineral and finish with melon or cucumber.  They are best during the fall and early spring when they are feeding heavily and their meat is plump, full, and white.  Due to spawning, during the summer months the flavors could be muted and meat soft. 

Kumamoto Oysters – Crassostrea Sikamea - Kumamoto oysters are Japanese imports farmed in the northwest United States.  They are great oysters for beginners due to their small size and sweet flavor.  These oysters are deep cupped, small, and their shells are fluted with beautiful curves.  They smell and taste like honeydew melons and are best served in the fall and early winter months.  With no bitterness, Kumos are a great oyster to start the night off with. 

Olympia Oysters – Ostrea Conchaphila – These tiny little guys are the only native West Coast oyster and are very rare in most oyster bars.  Only a couple of companies continue to grow the small oysters, it takes around 4 years to get them to that small market size.  Olympia oysters tend to be similar to Belons in flavor, very metallic and fishy.  They tend to have a smoky copper aroma and taste and usually finish with hints of seaweed and sardine.  They are not for everyone, but are so rare and tiny, you should give one a try if you find it.  They were James Beard’s favorite oysters.  Did I mention they were tiny?

When tasting oysters try to give them a chew.  This opens up all the flavors they have to give you.  When you chew you open the door to their world and get a taste of what it is like to live and breathe under the sea.  You may be tempted to dollop generous amounts of sauce on your oysters before eating, but every once in a while give them a try naked.  Let the oysters talk and tell you their stories of what its like braving the turbulent nature of the worlds oceans.  Oysters are a fruit produced by the complex intertwining webs that constitute their environment.  Their flavors are a testament to what is at work in the invisible world beneath the surface. The end result is an experience that we share with oyster alone, an experience that can’t be duplicated in the kitchen or in nature.  

Harpooning Swordfish

“Well it was a real good life. Harpooning and sword fishing, it was enjoyable, it was. The odds were against you for catching him because first you had to see him and then you had to harpoon him and if he didn’t jump or run you might get the iron in him and then a shark might get him or he might pull the iron out. So it was exciting. It was great to see them…I mean, they’re beautiful fish in the water and it was just a great way of life…”  - Louis Larsen, retired Fisherman, MA

It’s hard to believe that in a world where fishing means taking the latest technology out onto the biggest boat and dropping the longest line with the most hooks, only fifty years ago men were tracing steps to the end of long catwalks and stalking huge swordfish, with only a harpoon in hand and steady nerve.  There were no lines baited with thousands of pounds of mackerel.  This was before sharks and other by-catch animals like tuna died unceremoniously by the hundreds of thousands.  It was hunter and prey, the same way it had been since 2000 B.C.  It was a primal art and the fishermen were artisans. 

Every summer into fall, the swordfish would come close enough to view from Point Judith, Block Island, and other North Atlantic Maritimes.  Sometimes as early as May the season would start and go into October and November.  Harpooning swordfish was a way of life for these small villages and with the use of the long line not only did the fish go away, but also the communities disappeared.

The swordfish story though has taken a turn since the 1990’s.  After fisheries were put on hold and the ‘Give Swordfish a Break’ movement actually made a difference, the fish have since returned.  Albeit not to their once prominent numbers, but measures have been put into place to ensure their survival.  Still there is no fishery for swordfish that equals the harpoon industry for its stewardship of the species. 

There are some harpoon boats still leaving the summer and fall harbors of the North Atlantic, only to return after short trips.  They will go out and bring back the highest quality swordfish days and sometimes weeks sooner than any of the giant longliner boats.  The fish that they bring back will be enormous fish, at least for these days, 200 lbs and up.  They will not hear of any rats or pups, common names for juvenile swords.  You see, a sword does not spawn until after it is 5 years old.  They need to be well over 100 lbs to make sure this has happened.  Harpooners get to select the fish they strike.  There’s no ghost hook floating on the bottom blindly.  There’s no by-catch getting snagged and hauled above to the boat, only to be cast over the side as the waste of a neglectful enterprise.  These fishermen stand only yards away, with their will and some luck, taking swordfish out of the water, one at a time.

In the fall and winter swordfish that is available at the market comes from longliners because harpooners have only a few months to get out there, and even then they are subject to the weather.  During these few months it’s always exciting to support these men and the ideas they represent: the idea of leaving fish out there for the next year, the idea of respecting your prey by facing it, looking into its eyes, and meeting it head on.  The idea that emptying the ocean is like taking something special away from the world and your children.

It is something great to see harpoon boats going out to meet the swordfish one by one, just as they have for thousands of years.  As a result of the product they produce, the care that they take, there is no better swordfish on the market and it makes these months the best time to eat swordfish.  The price may be a little more for the bigger harpoon fish than the sometimes smaller line fish, but for these small villages still sending boats out before the sun is up, they will invest a lot more just to get to do it again, one more year.  I would too.