Wild Char, Local Crabmeat, Wild Salmon

In Nunuvut, the northernmost region of Canada, summer is brief, and the season for wild arctic char is too.  Each season has two distinct parts, the spring run, usually  early to mid July when the ice breaks and the fish journey out to sea from the freshwater lakes where they spend the winter.  The fall run in late August and early September when the fish return back to there winter home after feeding in the Northwest Passage.

• The spring season kicked off early as the ice broke in late June.  We received our first case of this prized fish today.  The season is on a quota and supplies are limited, so call early to ensure you get amount of fish you want.  More fish arriving Thursday.
• The Nunuvut commercial fishery was founded in the 1960s as a source of income for the indigenous community.  The managed fishery ensures the sustainability of the resource.  Local demands are filled first and the excess is sent to the open market.  CleanFish is the only company importing fresh Nunuvut Wild Arctic Char.
• The wild char range in size from 4# up to 12#.  Our average size is 8# fish.
• The cold waters on the top of the world make for fish with a high fat content, which means more flavor and rich texture. 

With all of the problems facing the Gulf of Mexico's coastlines, we have turned our crabmeat supply to the Mid-Atlantic, specifically Maryland and North Carolina.  This year is turning out to be a great year for crabs in our region and the proof is in the quality of the meat being produced. 

• Maryland and North Carolina crabmeat is more often steamed rather than boiled, as is done in Louisiana and Alabama.  Steaming the crabs makes for a drier crabmeat and the mustard is not washed away as it is when boiled.
• The lumps in the jumbo lump are bigger and firmer and though there are always shell fragments in any crabmeat, there just seems to be less shells in the local crabmeat.
• We are getting fresh deliveries on local crabmeat every day.  With southern meat, we were getting delivery only 3 days a week.  This means the crabmeat you get today was picked yesterday.
• We are carrying jumbo lump, lump and backfin, call for the most up to date inventory and price.

The wild Alaska salmon season is in full swing and we are currently carrying sockeye, coho and king salmon. 

• King, or Chinook, Salmon is considered the top of the wild salmon totem pole.  The king salmon need a large fat reserve for their long distance migration and that translates to a rich, buttery taste.  The texture is medium to delicate and the flesh is orange to red in color.  The highest quality kings are troll caught in the ocean as compared to net caught in the rivers.
• Coho salmon is the most similar to Atlantic salmon in appearance.  The easiest way to discern the two is to count the anal fin's rays, the wild coho will have 13-19 rays and the Atlantic will have fewer than 10.  The flesh of the coho appears soft when raw, but becomes firm when cooked.  The texture is medium and the flavor is moderate.
• Sockeye salmon, also known as red salmon, is the most valuable U.S. salmon species.  The sockeye is the reddest of the wild salmons and has the firmest texture.  The flesh remains red after cooking and looks great on buffets.  The fillets pictured above are sockeye fillets.
• Call for pricing on all species as they are all in stock for this weeks delivery.

With Restaurant Week fast approaching call your sales representative for the best deals on high quality fish for that special menu.  ProFish is the leader is sustainable seafood in the greater Washington and Baltimore area, and there is always a sustainable fish to fit any menu and budget.  Thank you all for your continued support and remember for all of your seafood needs, from Virginia Beach to Richmond and points north to Philadelphia and beyond, ProFish can fill all of your seafood needs, from fresh to frozen to smoked.