VARIETIES OF FISH TO BE FOUND IN THE MARKETS DURING THE DIFFERENT MONTHS.
JANUARY.
Live codfish [Gadus morrhua]. Haddock [Melamogramus agle finus]. Cusk [Brosmius brosme]; this belongs to the cod family, and although very little known, is an excellent table fish. Hake [Phycis chuss]; this is another of the codfish family, but inferior to any of the other varieties. Halibut [Hypoglossus vulgaris]. Small chicken halibut [Hypoglossus vulgaris]. Striped bass [Roccus lineatus]. Eels [Arguilla vulgaris]. Lobsters [Homarus Americanus]; very scarce, and in poor condition. Fresh salmon [Oncorhynchus chouicha]; these salmon are caught in the Columbia River, Oregon, all the year round, and are shipped in refrigerator-cars, and received daily in the New York markets. Frozen salmon [Salmo salar]; caught in the Restigouche River in July, and kept in freezers. Turbot [Platysomatichthys hippoglossoides], coming from Newfoundland, are occasionally in market during this month. Frost-fish, sometimes called tom-cods [Microgdus tomcod]. Frozen fresh mackerel [Scomber scombrus]. Frozen Spanish-mackerel [Scomber omarus]. Pompano [Trachynotus carolinus]; a few occasionally in market, coming from Pensacola, Florida. Red-fish, or channel bass [Sciœna ocellata], caught in Florida. Sheep’s-head [Diplodus pobatocephalus], from Florida. Grouper [Epinephelus morio], from Pensacola; a very good fish for boiling, somewhat like the red-snapper, but the meat is of a finer grain. Red-snapper [Lutjanus Blackfordii] has become a staple article in our markets during the winter. They weigh from two pounds upward, as much as twenty pounds each. It is good either boiled or baked, but most epicures prefer it baked. In selecting a fish, care should be taken not to buy one that weighs over eight pounds, as anything larger than that is apt to be tough and lacking in flavor. Shad [Clupea sopidisima], caught in the St. John’s River, in Florida, are to be had nearly every day during this month. Frozen bluefish [Pomatomus saltatrix], preserved by being kept in freezers since the previous fall. Herring [Clupea harengus], from Nova Scotia. Skate, or ray-fish [Plerroplatea maclura]. The demand for this fish increases every year. The American people begin to appreciate its many excellences. Probably the annual dinners of the Ichthyophagous Club, at which this fish is always served, have materially increased the popularity and demand for this fish. Rainbow trout [Salmo irridea]. These fish were first marketed during the winter of 1885 and 1886, and they are one of the notable examples of fish-culture, as the following brief history will show. Six years ago Professor Spencer F. Baird, then Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries for the United States, received a lot of eggs of the rainbow trout from California. He presented five hundred of them to the South Side Club, who have one of the most complete fish-cultural establishments in this State. These eggs were hatched and the fish raised in the preserves of the Club, where they increased to such an extent that the Club decided to send their surplus to market, and they have become very popular, and sell readily at one dollar and twenty-five cents per pound. The open season for these trout is from April to September. Salmon-trout, frozen [Salvelinus namaycush]. Whitefish, frozen [Coregonus clupeiformis]. Pickerel [Esox reticulatus], weighing from half a pound to ten pounds each, are very good during the winter months. Wall-eyed pike [Sticostedium vitreum]. Catfish [Ictalurus punctatus]. Smelts [Osmerus mordax] are received from different parts of the East and North during this month. The choicest come from Maine and Massachusetts. Those coming from Canada are always frozen, and are inferior, and sold at a very low price. Green turtle. Diamond-back terrapin. Prawns, from South Carolina. Scallops. Oysters. The following are the best in this month: Blue Points, Shrewsburys, East Rivers, and Mill Ponds. Hard crabs. Crab-meat, fresh picked. Whitebait. Finnan haddie. Smoked salmon. Smoked halibut. Best boneless dried codfish.
FEBRUARY.
Live codfish. Haddock. Halibut. Striped bass. Eels. Live lobsters. Fresh salmon. Frost-fish. Fresh Spanish-mackerel are found occasionally in market, coming from Pensacola, Florida. Pompano. Sheep’s-head. Red-fish, or channel bass. Grouper. Red-snapper. White perch [Roccus Americanus], from Long Island; one of the best pan-fish that is found in market. Smelts, green, from Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, and frozen smelts from Canada. During the latter part of the month very choice smelts are received from Long Island. These fish are large, and are considered the best of all varieties of smelts received. Shad. During the latter part of the month they begin to come from North Carolina. These fish are oftentimes large, weighing six pounds each, and in flavor are equal to those taken in the Connecticut River. Herring. Skate, or ray-fish. Salmon-trout. Whitefish. Yellow perch [Perca Americana]. Pickerel. Wall-eyed pike. Catfish. Green turtle. Terrapin. Prawns. Scallops. Oysters. Codfish tongues. Soft shell crabs during this month are in excellent condition, and are considered one of the most seasonable shell fish in market at this time. Hard crabs. Whitebait. Crab-meat, fresh picked. Finnan haddie. Smoked salmon. Boneless dried codfish. Smoked halibut.
MARCH.
Live codfish. Haddock. Halibut. Striped bass. Chicken Halibut. Eels. Live lobsters. Salmon, from the Columbia River. During the latter part of the month a few fish are received from Nova Scotia, weighing about eight pounds each, and are called Kennebec salmon by the tradesmen, although no salmon are caught either in the Penobscot or Kennebec rivers, Maine, until about the 1st of May. Large flounders [Pseudopleuronectes Americanus], suitable for making fillet of sole. Spanish-mackerel. Pompano. Sheep’s-head. Red-snapper. Grouper. Shad are abundant this month from North Carolina, and about the 25th or 30th of March they make their first appearance in the North or Hudson River. Herring. Skate, or ray-fish. Sturgeon [Acipencer sturio]. Salmon-trout. Whitefish. Yellow perch. Pickerel. Cisco [Coregonus artedi]. Catfish. Wall-eyed pike. Green turtle. Terrapin. With the month of March closes the terrapin season, as after the 1st of April it seems to be universally conceded that the weather is too warm, and terrapin are not relished, nor does the palate crave them. Soft shell clams are still excellent this month. Prawns. Scallops. Oysters. Those known as East Rivers, caught on the north shore of Long Island, are considered best in this month. Crab-meat, fresh picked. Smoked haddock. Smoked salmon. Smoked halibut. Smoked mackerel.
APRIL.
Live codfish. Haddock. Halibut. Striped bass. Chicken halibut. Eels. Live lobsters. Tomcods. Salmon, fresh from the Columbia River. Salmon, fresh from Nova Scotia. Flounders. White perch. Fresh mackerel. About the first part of April mackerel make their appearance on our coast, oftentimes in enormous numbers, and are sold in the markets at prices so low as to make them the cheapest food of the season. Spanish-mackerel and pompano are occasionally in the market from Pensacola, Florida. Kingfish [Menticirrus nebulosus]; a few come into market from North Carolina. Sheep’s-head, from North Carolina. Smelts; with the close of this month the fish goes out of season. Red-snapper are to be found in market up to the 15th of April. Sea bass [Serranus atrarius]; a few occasionally come into market from Charleston, S. C. Shad increase in abundance from the North and Hudson rivers. Skate, or ray-fish. Bluefish [Pomatomus saltatrix]; a few make their appearance, caught on the Florida coast. Brook-trout [Salvelinus fontinalis]. The open season for this fish commences April 1. Salmon-trout. Whitefish. Pickerel. Cisco. Wall-eyed pike. Catfish. Green turtle. Prawns. Crayfish [Astacus fluviatilus] are found during this month in the markets; they are caught in the Potomac River. Scallops; with the close of this month they are out of season. Oysters are generally better during the month of April than at any other time of the year, but, according to custom, with the close of this month the oyster season ends. Fresh frogs’ legs during the latter part of this month are taken, and begin to make their appearance in market at prices of about sixty to seventy-five cents per pound. Codfish tongues. Hard crabs. Crab-meat. Whitebait. Smoked haddock. Smoked salmon. Smoked halibut.