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Fishmongers specialize in selling and delivering seafood, offering high-quality, fresh fish that is often safer to eat than grocery store fish. Fishmongers can run retail or wholesale businesses, and offer a variety of seafood in varying states of readiness. Consumers should look for cleanliness and freshness when choosing a fishmonger.
A fishmonger is a trader who specializes in the sale and delivery of seafood including fish, shellfish and shellfish. In some parts of the world, the traditional fishmonger has largely been replaced by a grocery store, combining produce, dry goods, liquor, meat, and other food items in one central location. This is especially true for inland regions, which do not support a large market for seafood. In port cities, however, a fishmonger can usually still be found, often near the docks to ensure the stock is fresh.
For people looking for high quality fish, a fishmonger should be sought out. Fishmongers tend to be very knowledgeable about their stock and can provide insight into where the fish came from, who caught it and how old it is. Many are also happy to share recipes and can educate consumers on how best to handle and store different types of seafood. In many cases, fish from a fishmonger will be fresher and safer to eat than fish from a grocery store, because the fishmonger is able to focus on keeping the fish ice-cold and clean.
There are several ways a fishmonger can run their business. The most common is a retail business that sells fish from multiple sources. Usually one of the employees goes to the wholesale fish market at the dock in the morning to select the most beautiful fish directly from the boat, or works with a distributor to restock the shop every day. A fishmonger can also be a wholesaler, purchasing large quantities of fish from different boats to sell to retail customers such as restaurants, hospitals and schools. Many businesses have a contract with a fishmonger to deliver fresh fish daily, and some of these contracts are flexible, allowing the fishmonger to select the cheapest, highest quality product available.
When you visit a fishmonger, expect to find an assortment of fish in varying states of readiness to cook. Many fishmongers stock whole, uncleaned fish along with fillets or steaks of larger fish species. Some may pre-cook shellfish like shrimp, crab and lobster for easy use, while others sell live shellfish from tanks. In addition to fresh seafood, many fishing boats also carry cured and smoked fish, with some traditional companies producing these products in the same building.
For consumers concerned about cleanliness and potential contamination, there are several things to look for in a fish handling facility, whether it’s a side stand on a single boat, a fishmonger’s or a grocery store. The fish should be kept under the ice, rather than on it, so that when the ice melts, it washes the fish, rather than bunching it. The fish should look fresh and be free from obvious dryness, strange discharge, or loose meat. The floor should be cleaned and mopped often, and while a fishy odor may prevail, individual pieces of fish should be relatively odorless. Establishing a regular relationship with a fishmonger will usually ensure you get the highest quality fish on a regular basis.
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