Adelaide fishmongers encouraging a bigger mix of local fish and seafood on the menu for Easter
THERE are plenty of other fish in the sea, “so step out of the boat and try something different”, is the fishmonger’s cry this Easter.
THERE are plenty of other fish in the sea, so step out of the usual boat and try something different, is the fishmonger’s cry this Easter.
Local sellers report a growing demand for local, sustainable fish, and assure us the SA product is the perfect fit.
“Mixing it up helps the whole industry and gives the most popular stocks like King George whiting a chance to replenish,” said Michelle Farinola of Samtass Seafood in the Adelaide Central Market.
“It’s the biggest time of year for seafood, especially local prawns, but more and more people are also looking for local sustainably fished seafood like Spencer Gulf prawns and Goolwa pipis.”
Be adventurous, she said. Instead of paying $50kg for flathead, Ms Farinola suggested deep sea gurnard, a little-known local fish that looks and tastes very similar but costs only $28kg.
“Or, try whole red snapper, which is only about $10kg.”
Greek Orthodox Easter falls on the same Sunday this year, so she said demand will be up for local calamari, crab and traditional varieties of snapper.
Damien Cappo of Cappo at Parkside agreed that “we should shift to some other species”, offering a line-caught pink snapper and tommy ruffs as an alternative to higher-priced favourites.
According to Tom Angelakis, of Angelakis Seafood at the Market, wild fish prices will be up “marginally, perhaps $2 to $3kg, only because there is pressure from increased demand”.
“The weather is good so the catch should be good,” he said. “Farmed fish such as salmon and barramundi are likely to remain steady at about $35kg.”
The SA Fishery is sustainable, said Mr Angelakis, because “the Government is regulating it well”. Farmed fish also are subject to strict protective laws, protecting the stocks and the industry’s future.
“People buying any Australian seafood can be pretty sure that what they are getting is sustainably caught.”
Adelaide Central Market Authority General Manager Aaron Brumby is expecting more than 500,000 customers in the lead-up to Easter.
“Traders will sell more than a million kilos of fresh produce, tens of thousands of hot cross buns and tonnes of local seafood,” he says.
Samtass Seafood alone has readied for the sale of 1000 dozen fresh Smoky Bay oysters and half a tonne of fresh local snapper.
At the market this week, Elise Figg, of Glengowrie, believes we should all be buying SA fish and seafood, “because it’s sustainable, fresh and the best quality”.
“Prawns are so easy, and a whole fish like snapper is great on the barbecue,” she said.
Reel them in
Ever popular Easter fish are local King George whiting, which costs about $65kg, flathead at $50kg, and Tasmanian salmon and Northern Territory barramundi, both about $35-40kg, but local fishmongers are encouraging us to buy other sustainable lines:
SAMTASS Adelaide Central Market
Garfish fillets: From $39.99kg
Spencer Gulf Prawns: From $19.99kg
Mussels: $9.99kg
Pipis: $18kg
Local squid: $26.99kg
Blue Swimmer crabs: From $19.99kg
Silver whiting fillets: $32.99, $14.99kg whole
Deep Sea Gurnard fillets: $27.99kg
Red snapper, whole: $9.99kg
Smoky Bay oysters: From $15.99doz
ANGELAKIS Adelaide Central Market
Garfish fillets: $49.99kg
Spencer Gulf prawns, whole, cooked: $32.90kg
Mussels: $8.90kg
Port Lincoln cockles: $18.90kg
Local squid: $29.99kg
Blue Swimmer crab: $19.90kg
Silver whiting fillets: $32.90kg
Grenadier fillets: $18.90kg
Snapper: $32.90-$49.90kg
Coffin Bay oysters: $16.90doz
CAPPO Parkside
Garfish fillets: 39.99
Spencer Gulf prawns: From $25.99kg
Mussels: $7.99kg
Pipis: $19.90kg
Local squid: $24.99kg
Blue Swimmer crab: $19.99kg
Large silver whiting: $44.99kg
Tommy ruffs: $32.99kg
Whole line-caught pink snapper: $24.99kg
Smoky Bay oysters: $13.99doz