Westport’s Fresh Catch: Buying Seafood Directly From the Source
Do you want to take the leap and buy a considerable amount of seafood directly from the source this year? Great! First things first, you’ll need to: Get on a List!
Slow down. This is about food. The very best of food.
It is late spring-early summer, the perfect time to make the needed connections with your local fishermen or market for buying seafood. While the season is just getting underway, and many species are not even on the horizon, right now is the time to make sure you’ve secured your spot in line to purchase the very best of cold-water, coastal seafood from our local Westport fishermen and markets. While some folks are veterans at buying seafood directly from fishermen, the whole affair of purchasing seafood can be intimidating to a beginner. We’re here to demystify this awesome practice and empower you with the tips needed to make your big, tasty purchase.
Buying direct from the source is a lost art that is seeing a resurgence. This is a trend we like- as it truly gives you the best product and the fishermen the best price.
Jen Custer on the f/v Miss Kathleen, “We’ve met fantastic people through seafood. After all, we sell them the very best of our work- that is personal. Our customers are our friends. We look forward to making those connections again each summer.”
Making a Connection
First, take any fast food, box-store-like expectations and leave them on the shore - this is an experience that takes time. Buying true local seafood from Westport markets and fishermen is all about relationships.
Whether you are looking for a fillet for dinner or enough product to fill your freezer, the markets carry a variety of products and are staffed with people who know local fish. They may not have harvested the product, but they likely unloaded, iced, and filleted it! These folks are knowledgeable in their trade and will point you in the right direction.
If you choose to work directly with the source, right off the boat, you’ll be reaching out to the fishermen. When you embark on this venture, keep in mind that you are making a connection and building a relationship. Be in it for the long haul. Some customers have been buying seafood from the same fisherman for 35 years! You are doing business the old-fashioned way, ocean to table, with hard-working people who spend most of their lives out at sea. These folks are guided by the wind and the waves in search of the catch, not a set schedule like the rest of us. Sometimes it requires a little patience (but we promise it’ll be worth it!).
You’ll want to find the right seller. Westport’s Fresh Catch has a few great resources to showcase which fishermen typically sell which species and where they are located. The big sign on Westport’s Waterfront is hard to miss, but the same information is highlighted on our Westport’s Fresh Catch page. Look at who is selling each species to narrow down your search. You can also find a current list of who is selling local seafood (including local restaurant seafood offerings) on the Westport’s Fresh Catch Facebook page.
Making the Call
Call. Leave a message. Call back.
Again, sometimes a little patience is required. Keep in mind that these fishermen are first and foremost running their commercial fishing boats; their boats are their business. They are in and out of the harbor managing their own marketing and sales in between fishing trips. So, sometimes a call back is worth the extra effort.
When you can make that connection- there are a few things you’ll want to know in advance. If you need a little guidance, or this is your first buying ordeal, these folks will help you make the right decisions. If you’ve ever purchased beef or pork directly from a butcher, this is a similar experience. You’ll be asked a series of questions to help tailor the order to your specs.
The Details
Fishermen and seafood markets are wonderful at working with the customers to ensure the best outcome. A few things to consider:
What kind of seafood?
In Westport, Dungeness Crab, Albacore Tuna, Chinook (King) Salmon, Halibut, Sablefish, Rockfish, and Lingcod are the most popular.
What do you plan to do with the product?
Enjoy fresh after purchase, freeze for later consumption, smoke, can?
How much do you want?
Raw or finished product?
For example: 50 pounds can be interpreted as: 50 pounds of raw product, 50 pounds of fillets, or 50 pounds of canned, final product.
Whole fish, or filleted?
You can buy whole fish (often a better deal) or have them filleted for you, higher price, but less hassle.
What is most important - total pounds or budget limitations?
“Buying seafood can be intimidating. I enjoy helping people get over that hurdle and find fish that they love- that’s when I KNOW I’ve made a new customer. “- Mikayla Evans, Seafood Connection
The Delivery
Once you’ve determined what the right mix of fish is for you, you might need to put down a deposit to secure your order and your spot on their list.
Make sure to discuss order completion. With sometimes as little as 48 hours’ notice, you’ll want to understand the expectations for pick up. These folks do the best they can to accommodate weekend deliveries and pick-ups, but often these are scheduled between days on the ocean harvesting your fish- so be flexible. Additionally, make sure you have all the needed supplies for your fish and whatever you have planned. Coolers for transport, canning supplies, vacuum packs, extra ice for travel, etc. Not sure what all you’ll need? Just ask!
Yep, it’s an ordeal. A very special ordeal.
Buying fish off the docks and from our local markets is something special; not quick, not cheap, not to be replicated. Supporting a locally sourced seafood industry is something to be experienced authentically on Washington’s pacific coast in Westport, directly from the fishermen. Pure, sustainable, and delicious product aside, you are engaging in commerce that is centered in the people and place - the kind of stuff that makes the world go round.
Now is the time to get on a list - don’t wait. Join with others in building a long-term food source that brings the very best of Washington’s seafood to your plate.
Learn More!
About the Author
Molly Bold is the General Manager of the Westport Marina, home to Washington’s largest commercial fishing fleet. Wife of a commercial fisherman, and life-long harborite, she is passionate about the seafood industry in Westport and the Port of Grays Harbor.
Molly helped to found the Westport’s Fresh Catch effort, serves on various committees and boards, including the Grays Harbor Community Foundation, and is active with her children’s school, St. Mary’s, in Aberdeen.