Flying Fish Market Report from Day Boat Specialists #8

Missed Flying Fish Report 7, read it here.

Gurnard

If the seabed had mirrors, the gurnard would surely swim by without a glance. Throughout history, the public has felt the same way: trawlers catching gurnard in their nets tossed it back into the sea; lobstermen used it to bait their pots.

Recently, though, chefs have championed this most ugly of fish and it is being served up by cooks seeking sustainable alternatives to overfished species.

The first signs that the fish was becoming a favourite came a while ago when its price leapt from £0.25Kg to £4.00Kg.

Although from a low base, the surge suggests that cooks are heeding the message to give under-pressure fish a break and experiment with lesser-known species such as sprats, pilchards and pollack.

Where gurnard differs from some of these alternatives is that it is especially tasty, according to chefs and food critics alike.

"Most of the substitute fish are garbage. But here we have a real hero - it's got a stunning flavour and a good texture," said Terry Durack, The Independent on Sunday's restaurant reviewer. AA Gill of The Sunday Times described gurnard as "the Amy Winehouse of fish" because it provided "a sonorous bluesy mouthful".

Gurnard is a bottom-dweller that uses its legs to stir up food on the seabed. Three species swim in British waters: red; grey, and tub (which tend to be the larger fish). Consumers are becoming more confident in trying alternative seafood, which takes the pressure off more traditional species, which is great for our industry and future stocks .

The rise of gurnard has not been universally popular, however. In a recent interview with the BBC, Rick Stein remarked: "A lobster fisherman had a go at me for having gurnard on my menu. It used to be lobster bait but he said he can't afford to put it in the pots anymore because I've made it too expensive."