FAQs
ORDERING
HOW DO I ORDER?
Ordering is a simple as visiting the Catalog section of our website and making your selections. You can also email your order directly to us.
HOW DO I PAY FOR MY ORDER?
While you can pay securely through our website at the time that you order, we suggest that you select the COD (cash on delivery) option as final packaged weights may not exactly match order weights for some of our products. We accept e-transfers, cash, credit, and debit upon delivery or pick up as alternative sources of payment.
For delivery and pick up orders, we email your total once your product has been packaged and is ready for you.
DO YOU DELIVER?
We currently offer a free delivery service in Halifax, Dartmouth, and Bedford areas every Wednesday, excluding holidays.
CAN I PICK UP MY ORDER?
If you live outside our delivery area or prefer to pick up your order, just select your preference when you place your order. Pick up is available on Wednesdays (excluding holidays) in Bayer’s Lake and on Saturdays at the Halifax Seaport Farmer’s Market.
WHEN DO I NEED TO PLACE MY ORDER FOR DELIVERY OR PICK UP?
We ask that all orders for either Wednesday delivery or pick up be placed by Monday 8:00 am and that orders for Saturday pick up at the Halifax Seaport Farmer’s Market be placed by Friday 8:00 am.
WHAT IF I AM NOT HOME WHEN MY DELIVERY ARRIVES?
If you know that you will not be home when you place your order, let us know and we can pack your order in a styrofoam cooler with a frozen gel pack to keep your seafood cool until you return. You can keep it, or we can pick it up on our next visit.
If you have to leave unexpectedly, you can leave your own cooler on your steps, so we can place your seafood in there to keep it cool until your return.
OUR SEAFOOD PRODUCT OFFERINGS
IS YOUR SEAFOOD LOCALLY CAUGHT?
Almost all of our seafood is locally sourced and is caught or raised in Atlantic Canada. Our preference is to source from local vessels, processors and producers.
IS YOUR SEAFOOD SUSTAINABLY SOURCED?
All of our seafood is sustainably sourced. Many of our seafood options come from MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certified fisheries in the case of wild caught seafood and from sustainable aquaculture operations.
SEAFOOD HANDLING, STORAGE & PREPARATION
HOW LONG WILL THE FISH LAST AFTER I PURCHASE IT?
When you receive your order, you have about 2 to 3 days to use the fresh fish. If you are not going to use it all in the next couple of days, then we recommend you freeze it as soon as you receive it.
HOW DO I STORE MY FISH UNTIL I AM READY TO COOK IT?
Hopefully, you are planning to use your fish the day that you purchased it. If this is the case, it can be stored in the packaging you received it in until it is prepared. Otherwise, we recommend that you remove it from its packaging and place it in a zip lock bag, with the air removed. Place the bag between two layers of ice in a colander set over a bowl and place the whole thing in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Fresh fish should be stored between the temperatures of 0-4 degrees.
HOW DO I KNOW A FISH IS FRESH?
If it is the whole fish, gills should be reddish-pink, scales should be bright with a sheen, and eyes should be clear.
For fillets, the flesh of the fish should be firm and elastic, springing back to the touch.
With shellfish, make sure the shells are tightly closed and not cracked or broken. Shellfish should close if you tap them with your finger.
The odour should be mild and sweet, and there should be no unpleasant smell.
HOW LONG WILL FROZEN FISH LAST?
Properly frozen fish will last for up to 3 months. Freezing fish is a perfectly safe way to preserve its freshness.
HOW DO I PROPERLY FREEZE MY FRESH FISH?
Place your fresh fish in a zip lock bag and remove as much air as possible before closing the bag and place in the freezer. If you have a vacuum sealer, this is an excellent method of packaging your fish before freezing. We recommend that you mark the date that you packaged your fish on the bag before placing it in the freezer.
HOW DO I THAW FROZEN SEAFOOD?
We recommend that you thaw out frozen fish and seafood in the refrigerator overnight for about 6 to 9 hours. Once defrosted, cook it immediately. If you do need a quicker solution to thaw your seafood, you can, at your own risk, run it under cold water to thaw in 30 minutes. Always use cold water if you need to do this.
HAS MY SEAFOOD BEEN PREVIOUSLY FROZEN?
With the exception of our smoked salmon, black tiger shrimp, and home style fishcakes, all of our product is delivered fresh, never frozen unless otherwise marked.
HOW SHOULD I COOK MY SEAFOOD?
Fresh seafood lends itself to many methods of preparation.
If baking the product, allow 10 - 20 minutes at 400 degrees F for the first inch of thickness.
Add about 10 minutes per additional inch.
If barbecuing the product, cook about 4 inches from the coals for 5 to 6 minutes on each side
or until fish flakes when tested with a fork.
If poaching the product, boil for 10 minutes per inch of thickness.
If pan frying, fry fish until golden brown on one side, turn and brown the other side.
The complete cooking time should be approximately 10 minutes per inch of thickness.
Please visit our Blog – "News, Recipes & More" on our website for some ideas on how to prepare your seafood. If you have a favourite recipe you would like to share, feel free to send it along to us, and we would be glad to share it with others.
