Wild Fish Species Flat Fish White Fish Comments March still sees some of our native flat fish species in their spawning season, but as we get into April the quality will improve and the likes of megrim sole and plaice will become options for your menu. Plaice from the North Sea are the most responsible choice due to their Marine Conservation Society (MCS) 2 rating. Witch Sole from the North Sea start to spawn in March so one to avoid. Lemon soles remain rated a 4 or 5 by the MCS at time of writing. We are not expecting a change to this in the spring review. Market prices have been higher than expected in recent weeks, and the Easter period could keep demand at higher levels. South coast landings should start to improve as we get into the warmer months, and this should help to reduce prices. Dover soles spawn April to June, so one to avoid after March to give the fish time to reproduce. Brill will be back in season in April so wait until then for the best quality fish. A great alternative to turbot or halibut and delicious when pan fried and served with a brown shrimp sauce. Turbot is out of season through March, April, and May. Wait for the summer to put this king of fish on the menu when we hope to see some good landings. We continue to experience extreme price and demand pressure in the global white fish industry. Both cod and haddock have maintained their steady upwards price trajectory in recent months – not aided by the reduction in fishing effort over the festive period. Prices seem to be levelling out at record levels – with little indication of easing due to the continued effects of quota reductions and demand outstripping supply. There is an increase in the presence of Chinese buyers in Iceland as they are unable to sell Russian sourced fish to most European countries. It is necessary for them to purchase a percentage of Icelandic origin fish to enable continued exports to the USA and Europe. This bolsters demand. From March we will begin to see reduced volumes of smaller codling as the fish begin to spawn. Haddock will also start spawning and the quality will be poorer. Line caught fish will fetch a premium as their condition will be superior. Furthermore, there are extremely low stocks of frozen fish available from Iceland, so there are no reserves to draw off during this time. On a more positive note, the Skrei cod season started in January. Skrei are a migratory cod that undertake a long and rigorous swim from the Arctic to the northern coast of Norway at this time of year. The fish are extremely lean when they enter the Norwegian fishing grounds to spawn. This gives them their unique texture and flavour. They are reported to have the highest nutritional value of all cod. Skrei is in season until the end of April, so make the most of it until this time. Coley prices have edged upwards quite significantly in recent months in a direct response to the inflation in other key species. Still representing great value, coley is a good alternative. Hake prices have been stable in recent weeks. Whilst there is a possibility of cheaper landings when the weather is good, the popularity of the species is expected to keep prices steady. Hake tends to favour late spring, so perhaps an occasional special for now until the weather is more settled. We continue to recommend dynamic menus that enable operators to buy the best fish available on any given day for fish and chip offerings. This could include mixing sizes to ease demand from the popular grades. Round Fish / Other Fish We are recommending monkfish for your menus in the spring. We expect catches to be consistent. Prices have eased since early January, and we do not anticipate any severe increases over the spring period. Rated a 2 or 3 by the MCS, the variety of applications are endless. Monkfish has a dense, non-flaky texture which is perfect for curing in lime, lemon, or yuzu, so try a monkfish ceviche on your spring menu. This is the end of the season for gurnard as they are deemed a winter fish and are not a good choice in the summer. Prices should be stable. Mackerel remains exceedingly difficult. The International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) recommended a 70% to 77% reduction in mackerel catch quotas for the North-East Atlantic for 2026. Whilst this recommendation was not agreed the UK, Iceland, Norway, and Faroe Islands mutually settled on a 48% cut which is still significant. New quota does not start until May, and current prices are high with a lack of availability. This has had a significant effect on smoked derivatives. One to avoid. Whilst herrings are not used extensively in menus, they are a close alternative, and the price is rising accordingly. Sardines are another good alternative, but the Cornish season does not start until July so frozen options will be the best option until then. The commercial fishing ban for wild sea bass will finish at the end of March. This means you can put these on your menu from April onwards. It has been a long time since we have been able to promote wild sea bass due to the concerns over sustainability. We cannot wait to see these back on menus in April. Cephalopods There are still no changes in the MCS ratings for squid, octopus, and cuttlefish. MSC certified squid and octopus are the more sustainable choice. We hope that the significant landings of both species in 2025 will see a revision in the MCS ratings in the future. Exotics Ramadan began on the 17th of February and ends on the 18th of March. This typically sees a reduction in fishing effort in key regions so there may be a reduction in availability of fresh swordfish and tuna. There will be plenty of frozen inventory for raw and seared tuna applications and prices are not expected to fluctuate. Given the insatiable appetite for poké bowls globally, our Superfrozen tuna is ideal. Appealing to the health-conscious consumer, serve with radish, carrot, edamame, and avocado for a spring light bite. Shellfish The Canadian lobster season begins in the spring. It can be delayed if there is severely cold weather but should start late April. Prices increased in the first two weeks of January due to a late December surge in sales and tighter supplies due to poor weather. Chinese New Year runs from the 17th of February to the 3rd of March. Once the demand eases, we are hopeful to see lower prices. If the UK weather stays warmer, our own native lobster season will start later in the spring. Good availability of both origins will help to keep prices down, but it will not be until May at the earliest. Mussels will be out of season in May, but if temperatures rise, the quality may start to deteriorate earlier. Those operators who wish to continue offering live mussels during the warmer months should be aware that the product will be weaker and drip loss will be greater. We are still in the hand gathering season for palourde clams until late spring. This sees lower yields and higher prices. There should be some surf clams available as a more cost-effective alternative until the MSC pump scoop dredge season starts on the 25th of May. We are not expecting any issues with our UK native scallops over the spring, with quality deteriorating later in the summer months. These will represent far better value that the imported roeless scallops where issues with supply continue. Persistent low landings and a significant reduction in large sizes caught mean that prices have risen dramatically. Speak to your account manager about the various alternative options we have available. UK processed crab prices have increased. Significant impact is being felt within processing factories due to the increases in the national living wage both historic and forthcoming. This is in addition to rising raw material costs due to reduced landings of brown crab this season. Variable raw material quality is also impacting yields during processing, which significantly raises the cost of finished products. We continue to collaborate with our trusted suppliers to seek more sustainable avenues for the supply of UK crab. Disclaimer - the market report is a guide using information from our buyers who have a wealth of experience. Other influences still effect greatly the market place, weather, seasonal changes, supply and demand in retail and catering alongside exchanges rates.
Download PDF file