Specials and Market information
FEBRUARY 4, 2012
DAILY SPECIALS
#2 TUNA - 50 LBS - $6.95 LOIN (LIGHT)
TUNA 2+ - 1000 LBS - $11.95 LOIN
1-2 YELLOWTAILS - 200 LBS - $9.95 FILLET SK/ON
4-6 LANE SNAPPERS - 500 LBS - $10.95 FILLET SK/ON
RED GROUPER - 2000 LBS - $10.95 FILLET
GOLDEN TILE FISH - 500 LBS - $9.95 FILLET
JAMES RIVER OYSTERS - $45.00
WHITING - 30 LBS - $4.95 FILLET
Groundfish:
USA: Landings for the beginning of December remain light at all major ports.
· Landings: There was a small increase in volume at the Cape Ann and New
Bedford auction, but still below average for this time of year.
· Expected landings: Landings are expected to remain light all week.
· Extended outlook: many boats are off cycle or have remained tied up after
Thanksgiving, but should return to fishing soon.
· Species mix: Cod, Pollock and Hake make up the bulk of landings with a small
increase of offshore Haddock.
· Prices: Pricing has dropped on Pollock, Hake and Cod but remains strong for all
other species.
· Long term: Cod, Pollock and Hake will continue to make up the bulk of landings
over the next couple of weeks.
· Quota: Sector boats are nearing the allowable catch for Cod, which could impact
Haddock landings, as both species are caught together.
· Outlook: Expect Cod, Pollock, Hake and some flatfish to be the bulk of landings
with Haddock landings light or sporadic.
CANADA: Landings of Canadian groundfish have been limited except for a couple of
large offshore draggers. Many of the small hook boats have switched to Lobster gear at
this time of year.
· Landings: Very limited throughout the Maritimes.
· Expected landings: Landings will be limited all week.
· Extended outlook: Landings will remain light until the New Year when quotas
and conditions are released for the 2012 season.
· Species mix: Cod, Haddock, Hake and Pollock.
· Prices: Generally follow USA market trends.
· Long term: Most of the fleet will concentrate on Pollock, Hake, Cod and Haddock
for the remainder of the year.
· Quota: Both the offshore and inshore boats have limited quota remaining for this
season.
· Outlook: Landings of all groundfish will remain light until new quotas are issued
in January.
Scallops:
USA: Landings have been very light at the New Bedford auction with most of the large
offshore boats are bringing product from the Hudson Canyon and the Mid Atlantic.
· Landings: have been very limited at all ports in the northeast with the majority of
scallops from the offshore boats unloading in New Bedford.
· Expected landings: Landings will remain very light for this week.
· Extended outlook: many of the large offshore boats have used their allotted
DAYS AT SEA and are finished for the season.
· Scallop mix: Most of the offshore scallops being landed are from the Hudson
Canyon and Mid Atlantic.
· Prices: Prices are very high and are expected to remain strong until next spring.
· Long term: Landings will begin to drop off as offshore boats finish their days at
sea for the 2011/2012 season.
· Quota: Approximately 80% of the quota has been caught and the remaining quota
must be used before the new season starting on March 1st 2012.
· Outlook: Landings will continue fall off for the large offshore boats as they finish
the season. There will be a small increase in landings from the general category
boats from Cape Cod to Maine.
· NOTE: The Maine inshore season starts December 15th and ends in March, this is
a limited State fishery with mostly 25 to 35 count scallops.
CANADA: Canadian scallop landings have been extremely light with a handful of
product coming from the Bay of Fundy.
· Landings: Landings continue to remain very light at all ports in the Maritimes.
· Expected landings: Landings will be minimal for the remainder of this week.
· Extended outlook: With limited boats fishing expect landings to drop off until the
New Year.
· Scallop mix: A handful of scallops are from the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia.
· Prices: Prices are higher for Canadian scallops than USA boat or auction prices.
· Long term: Landings will continue to decline until the new season begins in
January.
· Quota: Most of the offshore fleet has finished for the season and the small boat
fleet has limited quota remaining.
· Outlook: Expect landings to be very limited during the month of December.
JAPAN: There is no change from last week as the harvesting season in North Hokkaido
is coming to a close and more areas are finished this year.
· Landings: Limited to open areas still harvesting but decreasing.
· Expected landings: harvesting will decrease as more areas are closed.
· Extended outlook: Harvesting at most wild and farmed sites will be finished
before the New Year.
· Scallop mix: Sizes are generally small this season with 18/23, 23/26 and 27/36
count the majority of product harvested.
· Long term: Landings will continue to decrease until all areas are closed by the end
of the year.
· Quota: The Japanese government will evaluate the harvest and set the new quota
for wild caught product by January.
· Outlook: Expect imports to remain limited into the USA until next summer.
MEXICO: The season in the Baja has been officially closed until next year, but there is a
chance the Mexican government will allow a small Christmas/New Year harvest.
PERU: Peruvian scallops are gearing up to harvest Roe-On scallops for the European
Christmas season.
· Landings: harvesting has increased as many suppliers are packing Roe On
scallops for the Christmas demand from Europe.
· Expected landings: Harvesting will continue until the Christmas holiday.
· Extended outlook: Harvesting before Christmas will drop off as most plants shut
down for the holiday.
· Scallop mix: This season has been excellent with a huge harvest from most farms
and larger sizes than normal.
· Prices: European buyers are buying inventories and current production pushing up
prices before the Christmas holiday.
· Long term: Harvesting from farms will begin to taper off, after the New Year.
· Quota: Farm raised product do not have a quota, but the government fisheries
agents in Peru do monitor and control the harvest.
· Outlook: Supply will remain steady until the Christmas Holiday and then drop off
after the New Year.
PHILIPPINES: Scallop harvesting has been excellent this year and continues at a steady
pace.
· Landings: Harvesting is steady from the open areas.
· Expected landings: Landings have started to increase as processors build
inventory.
· Extended outlook: Harvesting will remain steady but will slowly decline until
Christmas.
· Scallop mix: Sizing has been in the range of 200/300 count up to 60/80 count with
the majority 150/200 count.
· Prices: Pricing has increased recently but remains below Chinese scallop prices
and is still a bargain.
· Long term: The Philippines are an Island chain and the weather, currents and
water temperatures can affect each year’s harvest.
· Quota: The quota for this year will be caught soon unless the government allows
an extension after the Christmas holiday.
· Outlook: Supply has started to drop off and will be limited by the end of
December.
CHINA: At Bristol Seafood we currently do not offer any Chinese scallops as a company
policy.
FAS Haddock: Landings are increasing from the Long Line fleet which has an unlimited
quota until the New Year.
· Landings: Landings are increasing at the auction and at Northern ports.
· Expected landings: Most boats currently fishing will begin landing over the next
week and will offload one more time before Christmas.
· Extended outlook: Most of the Long Line fleet will target Haddock before they
return to port for the Christmas season.
· Prices: Prices started to drop last week, but many boat owners refused to accept
the prices, some of the fish was re-sold at higher prices.
· Long term: Expected landings should be strong over the next 4 weeks as most
boats will cycle in before Christmas.
· Quota: The Norwegian Government has increased the Haddock quota for this
season and will allow unlimited fishing until the New Year.
· Outlook: Haddock landings will increase before Christmas and again after the
New Year, but drop off by late spring or when the fish begin to spawn.
FAS Cod: The B season has ended and most boats are awaiting the new season to start in
January.
· Landings: Landings are basically over for this season.
· Expected landings: There should not be any landings remaining this season.
· Extended outlook: The Long Line fleet will begin fishing the A season after the
New Year.
· Prices: The demand for Cod worldwide has pushed prices higher this season.
· Long Term: Landings will increase again after the A season starts in January.
· Quota: Alaskan Cod is highly regulated and is basically caught in a two season
format. A season and B season.
· Outlook: Cod landings will increase after the new season starts in January, but
remain limited until that time.
Halibut:
EAST COAST: Landings have increased over the past week, from the Canadian
Maritimes and from St Pierre Miquelon Islands.
· Landings: Landings are up for this week, but still limited.
· Expected landings: Landings will begin to drop off as Halibut begins to spawn
this time of year and is more difficult to catch.
· Extended outlook: Large offshore boats will land fish before Christmas, but
landings will be limited as halibut begin to spawn in December.
· Prices: Pricing has been extremely high this season and will remain high
throughout the balance of the year.
· Long Term: Landings will continue to drop off for the balance of the season.
· Quota: New quotas are issued by the DFO in January, but all indications are the
Canadian government will reduce the quota for 2012.
· Outlook: Expect landings to decrease over the next two months.
WEST COAST: The West coast season ended on the 15th of November. The new season
will start in March of 2012 and there could be an additional reduction in quota for 2013.
Salmon:
EAST COAST: East Coast farms are gearing up for increased demand for Christmas and
New Years.
· Harvesting: Farms continue to harvest at a steady pace.
· Pricing: Prices increased during the Thanksgiving holiday and will remain higher
during the Christmas Holiday.
· Outlook: Harvesting should continue throughout the fall and winter with some
disruptions die to weather.
WEST COAST: Most areas are closed to harvesting or fishing for wild Salmon until next
year.
Shellfish:
Shellfish supply has remained steady.
· Landings: Supply has remained steady from most areas.
· Expected landings: Harvesting should remain excellent as long as the weather
remains mild.
· Extended outlook: With mild conditions and no ice forming most areas will have
good harvest.
· Prices: Most prices are holding steady, but demand for Thanksgiving will push
some species higher.
· Outlook: With winter approaching and generally more storms expected there
could be spot shortages after most storms pass.
Swordfish:
Swordfish continue to move south along the Gulf Stream chasing feed fish and into
warmer waters.
· Landings: There have been limited landings along the Mid Atlantic before and
after Thanksgiving.
· Expected landings: Landings will increase from boats fishing south of the Mid
Atlantic but will drop off as winter approaches.
· Extended outlook: Expect landings to slowly drop off during the winter and not
pick up again until the summer.
· Prices: Have increased as landings have dropped off over the past month.
· Outlook: Supply will continue to drop off as the fish move into Gulf of Mexico.
Fish Imports will begin to increase after the New Year.
Tuna:
Landings have been extremely light tuna fish from American swordfish boats. Imports
from Central America and Indonesia make up the bulk of imported tuna.
· Landings: Supply from American boats remains extremely light.
· Expected Landings: Supply of domestic tuna will continue to drop off next
summer.
· Extended outlook: Supply from Central and South American fisheries will begin
to increase after the New Year.
· Prices: Have been steadily increasing since early fall and are expected to remain
very high.
· Outlook:Supply of Tuna will increase from imports as the New Year begins, but
worldwide supply is expected to be limited.
Eat seafood for a long and healthy life.
