Thread: Local Seafood?

A comment in a thread about 'what/where locals eat' raised the question. Why is it so hard to find local seafood at coastal eateries? I have found this to also be true on Carolina coast, with the exception of oysters and peel your own shrimp.
Order fried shrimp, no doubt they came out of a frozen box.

Cost...it's cheaper for the restaurants to buy frozen in bulk at "cheap" prices and then charge "fresh" prices for it when they put the food on the menu.

Bingo. Its all about cost.
When you are serving hundreds of pounds of shrimp & fish a day, you have to have low cost reliable source. And that normally means frozen & imported.
Especially fish and small shrimp.
If you get popcorn shrimp its 100% imported. Somebody invented a machine that peels 80-120 count shrimp and exported it all over the world.

Most larger shrimp are still probably from the Gulf, but also probably IQF (Frozen on the boat, not bad but not fresh).
All Royal reds come from the Gulf and are IQF.

Unless the "fish of the day" or menu specifically says Snapper, Grouper, AJ, etc.., the fish you get is most likely imported basa or suchi.

Lots of places got in trouble about 5-10 years back for mislabeling imported fish as snapper, grouper, flounder, etc..
So now most menus just say "fish basket" or "white fish".
If they do advertise it as a specific species, they have to be able to tell you what country its from.
And its now illegal to mislabel fish species or place of origin.

Almost all oysters still come from the Gulf Coast, all fresh in the shell ones for sure.

So bottom line don't come to the Gulf for fresh seafood unless you want to cook it yourself . Humm ? OR just order it on line and have it shipped . Much cheaper than a trip down to sample the fare .

If you can cook just a little bit and don't mind washing a few dishes, you can make yourself a really nice fresh seafood dinner for the price, or less, of the frozen imported stuff. The bar tab will be a LOT less.

You can still find fresh seafood in coastal areas! Just don't a cheap price tag. The reason tourist areas don't offer it as much isn't just price it's availability, a high customer count restaurant like you find in tourist areas can't afford to have a menu of items that there's no guarantee will be available. Just some light googling and it looks like there's a good number down there that do offer fresh Gulf seafood. BUT they are all the $20 or so a person or more dinner types.

Sorry I missed Carl's near identical post to mine...

Originally Posted by usa

So bottom line don't come to the Gulf for fresh seafood unless you want to cook it yourself . Humm ? OR just order it on line and have it shipped . Much cheaper than a trip down to sample the fare .

I think others hit it, if you want real, fresh Gulf fish, you will pay a higher price.

For instance, the "Fish Basket" (imported basa or suchi)is only $12.99 while the fresh Gulf Grouper or Snapper "Fish of the Day" is going to be more like $20.00+.

Ahi (yellowfin) tuna is normally from the Gulf, and probably fresh, as is Amberjack, cobia (if you can find it) and triggerfish.
Also, whole Flounder are normally from the Gulf and fresh.

But yeah, if you want to know its really fresh and really from the Gulf, you have to ask the restaurant.
Or go to the local seafood shops and cook it yourself.
I buy shrimp off the boat in Bayou la Batre, ~$3/pound for 24-27 count!

Lol shrimp up here is imported from over seas and in the teens per lb even for small shrimp! I saw that even Rouse's down there has 9-12 size Louisiana shrimp for $6 a lb! Makes me so jealous.

Carl, have an address for that boat?

9145 LITTLE RIVER RD

Its on Little River Road, between Bryant Ave. & Fields Road in Bayou la Batre.
Right on the water.