Fresh fish and seafood is always better than frozen product. Below is a compilation of fresh fish availability charts from the profiles of numerous fish listed on Chef’s Resources. The charts indicate simply “fresh” product and do not differentiate between “fresh wild” and “fresh farmed” fish. But fish which is marketed as “fresh frozen” (marketing bullshit) is not included in these charts (because it is not fresh!). Visit each fishes profile page for complete culinary information on each one.

Fresh Fish Availability Chart

Here are the color codes for the Fresh Seafood Availability Chart: green areas show peak availability, light green show limited availability, gray indicates not available fresh but may be available frozen. There are a number of reasons why a fish may have limited availability.

  • it is the beginning or end of the commercial fishing season for that fish
  • the fish has strict qoutas set and once the qouta is met the fishing stops
  • the fish is a “by-catch”, meaning that it has limited commercial value and is a by-catch while fishing for something else
  • there isn’t much commercial/consumer interest in the fish so fishermen don’t consistently fish for it

See the Infographic version of this page!

Fresh Seafood Availability Chart
www.Chefs-Resources.com

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Amberjack
Arctic Char
Barracuda

Baramundi
Basa

Black Cod
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Black Drum
Black Sea Bass

Catfish
Chilean Sea Bass

Cod

Corvina

Dory – John Dory

Dory – Mirror Dory

Grouper
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Halibut

Hiramasa
Lingcod

Mahi-mahi

Marlin – Blue Marlin

Marlin – Striped Marlin

Monchong

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Onaga

Ono
Opah
Opakapaka
Red Drum

Red Snapper

Rockfish

Sablefish

Salmon

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Atlantic Salmon
Chum Salmon

Coho Salmon

King Salmon
Pink Salmon

Sockeye Salmon
Sand Bass

Sardines

Skate

Sole

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Sole Dove (True)
Dover Sole(Pacific)
Lemon Sole

Petrale Sole

Rex Sole

Rock Sole

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Steelhead

Striped Bass

Sturgeon

Swai

Swordfish
Tilapia

Tuna

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Albacore Tuna

Bigeye Tuna

Bluefin Tuna

Tombo Tuna See “Albacore Tuna”
Yellowfin Tuna

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Uku

Wahoo (Ono)

www.Chefs-Resources.com

 

Comments from before Site Migration

Add a Comment!

MAGICOFSPICE    [ Sep 18, 2010 ]

I must say with all honesty, this is the best chart I have ever seen. If I were still in the restaurant buz…I would have had a huge laminated poster in the kitchen 🙂 Excellent!

DAVID BUCHANAN    [ Sep 18, 2010 ]

Thanks Carla.  Glad to hear our info was in sync.  The fishing season for many of these can change each year so I depend upon feedback like yours to help keep the info current.

CARLA [75.169.102.215]    [ Sep 18, 2010 ]

Good information and very useful to those of us who love to eat fresh fish.  My blog post on Monday will be all about Halibut and I had included the dates it’s available so I was happy to see your chart agrees with the information that I was able to find.

JOSH [166.205.141.30]    [ May 20, 2010 ]

THIS IS GREAT!!  I AM ABLE TO WORK WITH MY FISH VENDOR MORE CLOSELY AND GET WHAT I WANT!!  THANK YOU CHEF

 

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DanialThom

I’m confused by this chart. Swai is just another name for Basa! How could one be available and the other not?

Also, no Bronzino or Flounder?

ChefsResources

Actually @DanialThom:disqus Basa and Swai are two similar but different fish. Click on the names of each fish to find out the full description of each fish.

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