Local Florida Fish?

by Claire Tompkins

"I think that enjoyment and pleasure are terms that have truly been lost from our vocabulary. We don't appreciate our food anymore. If we don't take care of the resources, we won't have it to enjoy."  So says Miami chef Steve Raichlen. 

He notes that organic farming is particularly challenging in Florida due to voracious tropical pests.  He supports local agriculture but is personally more interested in simple eating seasonally, which I expect doesn't always fly too well in high end restaurants. 

Case in point, elsewhere in the article, fish flown in from Alaska are mentioned.  But these chefs are in Florida, on the ocean.  Aren't there good local fish there?  C'mon!  Raichlen mentions seasonal (2 months) swordfish, but that's it.

Claire is an enthusiastic backyard gardener.  Her nascent blog is here:  www.organiclifeblog.com

Comments

[Jack]

When we lived in Florida 8-10 years ago, local fish seemed to be an oxymoron. Except for some grouper and the stone crab season, there didn't seem to be any. The seafood quality, in general, was abysmal.

I can't imagine that it's improved, as Florida is the Land of Chain restaurants, due in part to their archane liquor license laws (a full liquor licenese costs $100,000...even for a tiny restaurant - so few new restaurants ever open that are not chains).

And don't get me started on the quality of the produce.

[Birdsong]

I think it would be a great boost to eating locally to have chefs decide it's trendy to cook with the seasons. The restaurant industry, and more particularly fast food, have done the most to inculcate into peoples' minds the idea that the same menu will work year round, no matter how far the food has to travel to allow this to happen. I would love to see more chefs thinking seasonally when they build their menus.

[jeanne]

I think part of the problem is that as much as chefs want to customers demand variety and choice which translates to keeping a business open. I think there needs to be an education component which drives public demand. I also read some where that fishing in Southern Florida has been impacted by the growth in the cruise industry. More proof that every action has a reaction elsewhere.

[VI]

Are you sure there's no local fish?

My wife if from Miami, so I've visited often. I love eating fish in Florida and have found a lot of sources. I mean just congregated around the Miami river in downtown Miami are about five restaurants serving primarily local fish.

I have seen on menus grouper, dolphin fish(it's all they eat in the keys), conch, Florida shrimps, mullet--I had amazing fish in Tallahasse about a year ago, but maybe that's another post; stone crabs, duh; frog legs, gator (does that count?).

The thing is, just like the tyranny of the fresh, there is the tyranny of choice (?). So if places can, they serve what is percieved to be the global basket of food. So, it's Alaskan halibut and farmed salmon and Chileans "seabass". It's like who wants a boney piece of pompano? But believe me, it's very there in Florida.

Also, in my experience, the most interesting produce was sold, of all places, the flea markets and swap shops!

[Jamie]

We always seem to be able to get local fish when we go to Florida (Tampa-St. Pete area and Ft. Lauderdale area), although I will admit that it is mostly grouper and shellfish. We have gone to Apalachicola solely for the amazing oysters.

Maybe a lot of the Florida fish is being sent up to us in Georgia. We had some really nice Florida amberjack the other day. :-)

[David]

I don't think it's that simple. There is local fish in Florida, as in the grouper unsustainably harvested in the Gulf, off the west coast.

Not all local fish is equal.

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_regional.aspx?region_id=5

[katherine]

I live in this wonderful sunshine state and local fish is starting to pop up more in stores like fresh market and publix. I was wondering if anyone knew where to find a chart or something with when local fish are in season. I've been searching with little luck. thanks