Tuna, Wahoo, Dolphin, Groupers and Snappers

Tuna, Swordfish and Sturgeon

We are now able to get regular, year-round deliveries of three highly desirable big fish species from the Pacific.

Sturgeon

Prime Seafood is now distributing fresh white sturgeon to Washington-area chefs. Cultured in an "eco-friendly" manner in the Sacramento River Valley, California, they are being raised primarily to produce high quality caviar, to compete with and replace the caviar formerly obtained from severely overfished Caspian Sea sturgeon species (beluga, osetra, and sevruga). Our sturgeon are obtained from The Fishery in Galt which supplies egg-bering females to Stolt Sea Farm, one of California's top caviar producers. "Just as California wines have come into their own right and are enjoyed around the world, I too see the same thing happening with California caviar," observes Charlie Trotter, whose eponymous restaurant in Chicago uses the industry's two leading brands, Sterling and Tsar Nicoulai Caviar. The fascinating story of this relatively new fishery is described in detail in Wine News. The fresh sturgeon "bullets" that we are distributing weigh about 15 to 25 lbs (head and tail off). Although not well known to diners on the East Coast, the meat is prized by many of our chefs who tell us it is particularly good smoked. As described in our Mission Statement, Prime Seafood supports well-managed aquaculture operations like this because it takes pressure off wild stocks and does not cause additional habitat degradation in the process.

sturgeon steaks

White Sturgeon

white sturgeon

Swordfish

We are getting swordfish from Australia and from Hawaii where the use of circle hooks by its pelagic longline fleet has minimized the bycatch of protected sea turtles. Swordfish populations in the Pacific have not been determined to have been overfished. We are able to provide swordfish loins (weighing 10 to 30 lbs) in three grades: #1 (or sushi grade), #2+ and 2.

swordfish steak

290 lb Pacific Swordfish

Pacific swordfish of 229 lbs landed at Cabo

Yellowfin Tuna

We are also getting yellowfin tuna loins from the Pacific. As with Pacific swordfish, populations of yellowfin tuna in the Pacific have not been determined to have been overfished. Our yellowfin tuna are landed at General Santos City in the southern Philippines where small boat fishermen catch them one-at-a-time using handlines. The tuna thus caught are cared for carefully to maintain their high quality. Our buyer, tuna expert John Heitz, selects only the best of these. This fishery and John were recently featured in an article in TIME describing this artesinal fishery as well as the outsiders who are taking improper advantage of this situation. We are able to provide yellowfin tuna loins (weighing 10 to 30 lbs) in three grades: #1 (or sushi grade), #2+ and 2.

yellowfin tuna steak

Hannibal Bank Yellowfin Tuna of 225 lbs

A 225 lb Pacific yellowfin tuna caught on Hannibal Bank, Panama, by Captain Tom Yust (r) and Prime Seafood's founder and owner, Jim Chambers (l) - Photo by Sport Fishing editor, Doug Olander.

ADDITIONAL PAGES

Striped Bass or "Rockfish"

Wreckfish

Crabs, Lobster, Shrimp, Scallops, Oysters and Clams