Source: NC SEA GRANT, 4/7/20


Seafood isn’t the first staple people grab in a pandemic. Rice, beans and flour certainly have a longer shelf life. For those looking to add fresh seafood to the mix, though, there are plenty of local sources.

The North Carolina Fisheries Association and NC Catch have compiled a list of open seafood markets that sell North Carolina seafood. Markets like Seaview Crab Company in Wilmington, for example, typically have been open seven days a week.

I spoke with Winn Altman, a senior leader at Seaview Crab Company, about what they have available from North Carolina waters. He listed snowy grouper, snapper, speckled trout, sea mullet, croaker, blue crabs, and some shrimp.

Through traditional supply chains, North Carolina fishermen sell the majority of their catch to restaurants. But that market share has been limited drastically with the advance of COVID-19. For example, Locals Seafood in Raleigh, a major seafood distributor in North Carolina’s Triangle region and beyond, lost 95% of its wholesale clients due to restaurant closures.

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