At JJ McDonnell, we're proud to feature exceptional seafood, and our Wild-Caught Bluefin Tuna is truly a star. While we source bluefin from various locations, this particular shipment highlights the remarkable quality from the pristine waters of Wychmere Harbor, Massachusetts courtesy of F/V Sea Vee. This isn't just any tuna; it's a culinary highlight, prized for its remarkable flavor and texture by chefs and seafood enthusiasts alike.
These magnificent fish are full of surprises. Bluefin tuna are built for incredible speed and endurance! Their streamlined, torpedo-shaped bodies and retractable fins allow them to cut through the water with unmatched efficiency, making them one of the fastest fish in the ocean. Unlike most fish, Atlantic Bluefin Tuna are warm-blooded. They can maintain their body temperature warmer than the surrounding water, which enables them to thrive in diverse ocean depths and temperatures, giving them a significant advantage when hunting prey. These impressive fish undertake epic journeys, traveling thousands of miles across oceans in their lifetime, showcasing their incredible migratory instincts.
Bluefin tuna isn't only delicious, it's incredibly nutritious. A 4oz serving (approx. 113g) can offer around 150-200 Calories and approximately 25-30g of Protein. It also provides about 5-10g of Healthy Fats (rich in Omega-3 fatty acids!) and is an excellent source of Vitamin B12, Selenium, Niacin, and Phosphorus.
The rich, buttery texture and distinct flavor of Bluefin tuna make it a truly exceptional ingredient for a wide range of dishes. To inspire your next creation, consider Bluefin Tuna Sashimi/Nigiri, showcasing the incredible freshness and natural flavor by serving thin slices raw, either as pure sashimi or elegantly presented atop seasoned sushi rice. Alternatively, a Pan-Seared Bluefin Tuna with a Sesame Crust offers a quick sear to create a beautiful, savory crust while leaving the interior perfectly rare, highlighting its prized, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
For more information on our Bluefin Tuna, including current availability and additional culinary applications, please contact your JJ McDonnell account manager today!
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Alaskan Sockeye Salmon
The Copper River runs are coming to an end for the year, leaving Cook Inlet and Kodiak in Westward Alaska still producing. Pricing is flat, reflecting volumes which are lower than average in many areas this year. Time flies! We will begin looking forward to the Coho runs in just a few short weeks, signaling that we are nearing the end of summer.
Wild King Salmon
Plenty of beautiful head-on troll-caught king salmon are landing this week from Neah Bay, WA, and Newport, OR. Pricing is a touch higher this week but should mellow out by the end of the week.
Atlantic Halibut
Low prices kept boats docked while fishers waited for better returns. Fishing this week is very limited, driving the prices up on any available product. Our Atlantic Halibut is sourced from the MSC-certified Nova Scotian fishery.
Pacific Halibut
Availability has been slim to none for over a week now, but we do have fish arriving from Eureka, CA and Metlakatla, AK.
Sablefish, aka Black Cod
Stable and available, great affordable option for center of plate. More versatile than it gets credit for sure! Fish this week are from Washington and Oregon.
Fresh Flounder
Continued limited availability on the East Coast as volume landings are scarce. Raw material costs continue to be elevated. Current inventory consists of trawl caught product harvested in Engelhard, NC.
Porgies
No major changes to report. No availability issues heading into weekend sales and costs will remain steady. Current inventory consists of Hook and Line caught product harvested in Fall River, MA.
Black Bass
The Medium market has softened, and the Large and Jumbo market continue to be elevated. (F/V Integrity).
Monkfish
Soft market as landings have increased; good fishing weather and the supply is greater than the demand. Current inventory consists of trawl caught product harvested in Boston, MA.
Blue Catfish
With water temperatures in the Chesapeake Bay hitting its peak, fishing has become a struggle. Catfish are living in deep waters as surface temperatures are too hot, causing problems for the fisher to reach the fish with current gear types. Fishing will continue to be a struggle until the end of summer.
Wild Red Drum
GALVESTON, TX product in house! Steady market with consistent landings!
Chesapeake Channa
Fishing has dropped off significantly due to limited visibility in the back creeks/waters due to grasses. Until the grasses die in the fall, we will continue to struggle with fresh product. R/F product will be available.
Bluefish:
Wanchese, NC day-boat gillnet vessels fished over the weekend and packed-out early week. Many were finally able to locate bluefish as they have been a struggle the past week.
Spanish Mackerel:
Soft market with increased landings. Buyers' market currently. Current inventory consists of gillnet caught product harvested in Hatteras, NC.
Tuna
Availability remains strong from all origins.
Prices carried over from last week. The good news is the slight uptick in demand hasn’t been enough to force pricing up.
Prices should hold through this week.
Blue fins landing- in Wanchese, Canada and Massachusetts.
Wild striped bass
· Locally, small amounts of 2/4 and 5/8 lb. fish have been landing. Prices are holding steady.
· Production coming from Massachusetts has been fair but not enough to force pricing lower. Remember, this is only a 2-day fishery.
· Fishing is very limited in New York. We expect fishing to pick back up here mid- September.
Scallops
This week prices have moved up on 10/20 and U/15 Atlantics and Hokkaido.
The outlook, Hokkaido prices will be moving higher than the Atlantic in the next 2-3 weeks, and sizing and availability will be an issue.
As for some, last year we transitioned to Hokkaido as the answer to lower food costs.
As of this moment, Hokkaido suppliers will struggle to have enough product to fill the void of our own Atlantic shortages.
The larger sizes, U/12 and U/10 availability is unknown and not sure of supply, and if available, how high this market will climb.
This uncertainty has moved customers from Hokkaido back to Atlantics.
Sword
Availability remains strong with fish landing from the Caribbean, some domestic and this week’s large unload in Southern Brazil.
Look for favorable pricing through this week.
Salmon
This week prices softened once again from all origins.
· Canadian- Both east and west coast farms lower prices of whole salmon. The West coast continues to remain the value buy.
· Europe- Prices lower here once again.
· Chile – Pre-cut fillet prices moved marginally lower trying to keep up with the falling Canadian market.
· Verlasso- ASC- Sustainably raised- These whole fish prices remained steady.
Available here at J.J. Mc Donnell daily. Please click on the link below for more information about the farm and this fish.
Your answer for sustainable farmed salmon.
www.verlasso.com
Mahi
With landings at a minimum, prices are at record highs as we struggle to have product available.
Unfortunately, this struggle will be real until October. This is when boats in the Caribbean will transition fishing sword back to Mahi.
Until then it will be touch and go for supply.
Caviar
As the temperatures rise, a refreshing cold appetizer looks increasingly appealing, especially adding a splash of color from salmon, trout, and smoked trout roe. We are carrying a variety of affordable pack sizes on these options, on feature this week.
Smoked Products & Tinned Seafood
Skin on or off, dark meat trimmed or untrimmed, economical, or top of the line and everywhere in between. With this breadth of options, we are sure to have what you are looking for in the smoked category.
Live Lobster
Wholesale dealers have started to offer f/s lobsters at more competitive prices. Hard shell pricing remains strong with a little relief on the larger 2&up sizes. Catch volumes have started to show signs of life domestically as we have seen higher weight landings. The overall shell quality of firms has improved where dealers have started limited offering. Within the next week we should see more switches over to the firms as hard shell will become tight.
Crabmeat- updates you need to know.
Fresh:
Maryland – Fresh picked MD meat arriving daily! better supply this week. Prices ease a little this week as the basket demand drops.
North Carolina- fresh meat arriving daily at a bit of savings vs MD. Very nice quality.
Venezuela – weak supply this week as landings have dropped overall, typical of this time of year, & flights also a challenge. Look to domestic or pasteurized crab meat as an alternative. Prices have screamed up last week off their lows a few weeks back, especially on Jumbo Lump. Expect Ven HPP crab meat limitations & shortages until their conservation in late August.
Pasteurized:
Blue Swimming – Tariffed meat hitting now with much larger tariffs expected in Indonesia, Philippians & India which has affected the blue swimming crabmeat category. Prices have continued to rise VERY quickly these past few weeks & are expected to continue once higher priced containers arrive. Most importers are limiting availability as well as many future deliveries have been cancelled because of the tariffs. Weak landings during high demand have added to the rising market. Expect supply limitations & prices to continue to rise quickly.
Red Swimming - high tariffs plus poor landings have pushed prices up especially on jumbo lump & jumbo. Lump is now following up as well. Relief is not expected until mid-fall when containers finally land & hopefully there will be some tariff relief.
Mexico- Crabbers are back to work after their conservation period. Prices rise quickly following the Indo prices up as the demand has spilled over. Look to Mexican super lump & Mexican Jumbo as good alternatives to Indo.
Columbia – Very poor supply in Columbian & unfortunately prices are up now as new tariffed meat arrives. There is very limited supply currently, but what is available looks nice.
Live Soft Crabs -
A Small local run has started putting a few crabs in the market. Overall larger soft crabs remain very limited, especially frozen because of such a poor season.
Mussels
Hot weather brings about spawning, seasonal changes in the mussels’ life cycle. Keep icing those mussels – between the heat and the spawning season, copious amounts of ice will reduce mortality and prevent spawning.
Clams
Hot weather also reduces shelf life for our local clams. As temperatures rise in the near-to-shore clam beds, so does the gap in temperature between where they are in the water and where they need to be to ship. In the summer, this gap can be as much as 45 deg, which places stress on the organism causing them to die faster, some within several hours of harvesting. Best practices during this time include buying smaller amounts more frequently and keeping clams undisturbed and refrigerated but away from ice.
Oysters
Heat can have a similar effect on oysters as well. Due to the prescribed temperature reduction speed required during peak vibrio season, harvesters need to reduce oysters to shipping temperature within a few hours of harvest. This can cause stress and mortality. Best practices for oysters during this time also include buying smaller amounts more frequently and keeping them undisturbed and refrigerated but away from ice.
Salt Grass Point and Malpeque will be back in stock this weekend! In the meantime, check out our awesome features for this week!
Featured this week:
Avery’s Oysters
Wellfleet, MA
OYS323
From Wellfleet on Cape Cod Bay, flavor profile is seaweed and cold salty butter.
Pleasant Bay Oysters
Orleans, MA
OYS121
From the southern cape, strong shell with exceptionally deep cups, salty and crisp
French Kiss Oysters
Mirimichi Bay, NB
OYS075
Perfect baskets of choice oysters from NB, sharp brininess, mild sweetness, hints of hazelnut
Always on Feature and only at JJ McDonnell:
Skinny Dipper & Huckleberry Oysters
St Jerome’s Creek, MD
OYS200 & OYS060
For the best shell quality, quintessential Chesapeake flavor, and the cleanest oyster in town, choose Skinny Dippers for your printed menus. Always fresh and in stock! For a cocktail option, Huckleberry is a perfectly plump cocktail, and fun fact, they are the same age as a Skinny Dipper! Some oysters just never reach the size of a full, select oyster.
Happy Oysters
Northern Neck, VA
OYS250
Sweetgrass and butter with just enough brine and a clean finish. Tidal surges create a perfect environment for healthy, happy oysters!
Salt Buoy Oysters
Brockatonorton Bay, MD
OYS245
All the salt from Maryland’s Atlantic coast, with a crab-like sweetness to finish. Float-raised cocktail shells are perfect for easy shucking.
Fortune Oysters
Wine Harbour, Eastern Nova Scotia
OYS218
A pop of salt from the North Atlantic! Smooth, salty, savory, and sweet meats in clean, solid, choice shells.
Domestic Shrimp
Today, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission set the opening dates for the 2025 fall inshore shrimp season based on information provided by biologists from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and public comments.
Season openings are as follows:
· From the Mississippi/Louisiana state line westward to the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River to open at 6 a.m., August 11, 2025.
· From the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River westward to the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel at Eugene Island as delineated by the red Channel Buoy Line to open at 6 p.m., August 11, 2025.
· From the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel at Eugene Island as delineated by the red Channel Buoy Line westward to the Louisiana/Texas state line to open at 6 a.m., August 11, 2025
What this means is the season was pushed back 10 days. The fall season is the inshore white season where we typically get a lot of our peeling production. Pushing it back will keep prices high as plants are not operating anywhere near full capacity. Demand is outpacing supply.
Texas brown season is progressing, but production has been ok at best. After this week supply should get a little better as boats are starting to come back for repairs on their boats. This week will be a struggle.
Squid Loligo & Arrow
LOLIGO
* U. Chinensis (Chinese Loligo): Catches well below prior year. Less relevant for US market due to high tariffs.
* U. Duvaucelii (Indian Loligo): fishing season is officially open but no significant catches yet.
* US Imports YTD up 23% because of increasing tariffs
Price will continue going up this year as the full effect of tariffs are not yet 100% realized.
USA Loligo
· 2025 landings are well ahead of prior year (more than double the landings for the same time last year)
· Duty-free USA Loligo are more attractive than imported squid.
ARROW
· 2025 season is finished with catches below 2024.
· 2025 season prices are about 5% higher.
While we've mentioned their speed, it's worth emphasizing their sheer size! Western Atlantic Bluefin tuna are the largest of the tuna species and can grow up to a staggering 13 feet long and weigh over 2,000 pounds, making them one of the ocean's true giants.
