SEAFOOD FAQ
The Visit NC Farms App connects the dots in communities across North Carolina. Using cell phone technology, residents and visitors can find farms and seafood retailers closest to them with products and activities that interest them.
Visitors can use the app to explore seafood markets and festivals, farms, farmers markets and local restaurants that are off the beaten path and unique to each community.
How can you tell good quality from poor quality seafood?
To learn the quality traits of other N.C. species, check out North Carolina Sea Grant’s Consumer Guide to Selecting N.C. Seafood
How can I protect the quality and safety of my seafood once I bring it home?
Experts recommend that raw finfish and shellfish held no more than two days in the refrigerator at 40°F or less before cooking. Refrigeration slows but does not halt the growth of spoilage bacteria.
If you freeze seafood, use it within three to eight months. The sooner the better because seafood’s flavor and texture will decline with lengthy storage.
Hold live clams and oysters between 38°F and 45°F. Discard clams and oysters with gapping shells that do not shut when lightly tapped.
Cook live crabs the day you buy them. Discard any that die prior to cooking.
Hold cooked crabmeat a refrigeration temperatures below 38°F.
I do not always feel comfortable cooking seafood at home. Where can I find easy-to-use recipes?
Mariner’s Menu by North Carolina Sea Grant features kitchen-tested recipes made with N.C. seafood, prepared in traditional coastal styles.
Different finfish have different flavors; however, you can usually substitute in most recipes. Just exchange one type for a similar one. Most of our palates are not so discriminating that we will notice a big difference.
How nutritious is seafood?
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults consume at least eight ounces of seafood per week based on a 2000-calorie diet.
In general, seafood is a low calorie food when compared to other protein foods such as beef or pork. A cooked, three-ounce serving of most lean finfish, such as flounder, contain 100 calories or less. The American Heart Association recommends eating 2, 3-ounce servings of fish per week, particularly high-fat fish like cobia, mackerel and striped bass because they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart.
Resources: The U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s Seafood Nutrition Facts and Seafood Health Facts as well as The American Heart Association.
Why does N.C. offer so many different seafood options?
North Carolina is located midway along the East Coast. The cold waters of the Labrador Current coupled with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream provide the state with a variety of temperate and sub-tropical marine life that is available only during certain seasons of the year.
Who harvests N.C. seafood?
In 2020, there were 2,345 licensed waterman harvesting seafood on 2,815 different fishing vessels that took 93,145 trips. Seafood entered the marketplace through a network of 531 seafood dealers.
How can I learn if N.C. seafood is responsibly harvested?
The United States relies on thorough, science-based policy and management procedures to ensure our fishery stocks are available for generations to come. The National Marine Fisheries Service, the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries and North Carolina Sea Grant can help you make educated seafood choices.
What types of gear do fishers use to capture N.C. wild-caught seafood?
What percent of wild-caught seafood is landed in state waters (inside waterbodies out to 3 miles off the beach) vs federal waters (3 miles to 200 miles offshore)?
What seafood items are most abundant in N.C.?
What are the top 5 N.C. seafood items?
By Pounds Landed
Blue Crabs, Hard: 13,112,120
Shrimp (Heads On): 9,709,801
Flounder, Summer: 1,779,735
Dogfish, Spiny: 1,480,711
Mullet, Striped: 1,299,464
By Value
Shrimp (Heads On): $22,322,391
Blue Crabs, Hard: $19,096,566
Oysters (Meats): $4,551,576
Flounder, Summer: $3,753,492
Scallop, Sea (Meats): $1,842,972
What N.C. County lands the most wild-caught seafood?
Dare County typically received the most seafood from harvest vessels, followed by Carteret County. N.C. seafood is brought to shore in 18 of 20 coastal counties.
What state along the U.S. East Coast lands the most seafood?
Should I eat shellfish raw?
Eating clams and oysters raw or partially undercooked can be unsafe, especially for people who have difficulty fighting infections because their immune systems are weak due to chronic diseases. To achieve proper cooking, place shellfish in a pot with boiling water and steam them for 4 to 9 minutes. You can broil oysters-on-the-half-shell 3 inches from the heat source for 3 minutes or bake them at 4500 F for 10 minutes. Fry oyster meats in oil for at least 3 minutes at 375°F.
Can I eat shellfish during the summer or months that do not contain an “r” in their spelling?
Absolutely. Though wild oysters cannot be harvested during the warm summer months, cultivated shellfish can be harvested and consumed the year around. Strict regulations require cultivated shellfish be placed into mechanical refrigeration to reduce the potential for illnesses caused by the growth of certain disease-causing bacteria after harvest.
Resource: https://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/aquaculture/north-carolina-cultured-shellfish/
How do you grow clams and oysters in N.C.?
N.C. producers usually purchase small young clams or oysters, called seed, from commercial hatcheries or nurseries to stock their leases. Clam seed need about two years to reach a market size of two inches and oyster seed need nine to 18 months to reach an average market size of two and one-half inches before they can be harvested. Over half of the state’s shellfish are produced by marine aquaculture.
Resource: https://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/aquaculture/north-carolina-cultured-shellfish/#Culturing
What makes cultivated N.C. shellfish a smart seafood choice?
Cultivated shellfish get all their nutritional needs from their surroundings, and do not require added food, chemicals, or antibiotics to grow. When growers harvest cultivated oysters or clams, they remove no more shellfish from the water than they originally put into it.
Resource: https://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/aquaculture/north-carolina-cultured-shellfish/#Sustainability
Why do N.C. oysters from different growing areas have such distinctive flavors?
The unique regional flavors of N.C. oysters stem from the subtle differences in local conditions at each growing site. Like wine, oysters can have complex flavor profiles. They might first taste salty, then sweet, and end with a floral or fruity finish.
Resource: ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/aquaculture/north-carolina-cultured-shellfish/#Flavors