Do your part to build and sustain our local seafood industry. For New Jersey fishermen and women, chefs and restaurateurs, part of the challenge is encouraging consumers to be aware of, ask for and buy the expansive bounty of fish caught in New Jersey waters. When visiting your local fishmonger or favorite restaurant, go beyond the more traditional, popular options (imported tuna, salmon, shrimp) and try some of NJ’s delicious but lesser-known varieties. Here is a partial list of New Jersey seafood:

FIN FISH
 

Blackfish (a.k.a. tog)

A late-summer species with dense white meat enriched by its diet of shellfish

Black Sea Bass

A true bass with lean meat and a soft flavor, often prepared whole

Bluefish

Assertively flavored with dark, moist meat that can stand up to strong flavors

Dog Fish (a.k.a. sand shark)

Mild with a large flake, used for fish and chips across the pond

Fluke (a.k.a. summer flounder)

Flaky with a delicate flavor, a favorite of recreational fishing fans each summer

Mackerel

Packed with omega-3s, tastes softly of the sea when just caught

Mahi Mahi

Moderately firm yet still sweet, especially delicious grilled

Monkfish

Firm and dense, sometimes compared to lobster in flavor

Porgy (a.k.a. scup)

Gently flavored and savory when baked, broiled, or fried

Sea Robin

Delicate like fluke, but with firmer flesh and thick skin that’s good for searing

Skate

Prized for its telltale “wings” (fins) that contain lean, white meat

Swordfish

Mildly sweet with a meaty texture and distinctive red bloodline, fantastic grilled

Tilefish

Low in fat and tasty like a lobster, with thick fillets and a flaky texture

Tuna (Yellowfin, Bigeye, Bluefin)

Caught sustainably in our waters, well worth savoring in season

Wahoo

Known as “ono” in Hawaii, a mild fish with a large flake that’s ideal for fish tacos

SHELLFISH
 

Blue Crab

Briny and sweet, rivaling those from our neighbor to the south

Hard Clams

Toothsome and perfumed by the sea, hallmarks of summer

Oysters

Evoking the waters in which they are grown, new varieties are hitting the market every year

Scallops

Some of the best scallops in the world are landed right here in Jersey: sweet, meaty and elegant
 

FIND LOCAL 130 NEXT TIME YOU DINE OUT
 

Local 130 Seafood partners with chefs throughout the state and in Philly who transform the state’s local catch into crave-worthy dishes.To see where they are lately, check out Local 130’s Instagram feed (@local130seafood), or search the hashtag #locaI130seafood. You may even find some recipe inspiration.