Sourcing seafood in Quebec presents challenges for local fishmongers, who often rely on U.S. imports for popular mollusks and fish. Despite this, markets like La Mer emphasize local products, with top sellers being oysters, lobster, and salmon. Fishmongers like Toby Marchand are adapting by seeking alternatives, yet maintaining strong relationships with suppliers. The American market remains integral to the seafood supply chain, especially during off-seasons, while local catches are prioritized during peak seasons.
The Challenge of Sourcing Seafood in Quebec
Many beloved mollusks and small fish enjoyed by Quebec residents are sourced from the United States, posing a significant challenge for local fishmongers. This predicament complicates efforts to exclude American products from their offerings and menus.
Local Fishmongers Adapt to Changing Markets
“We have no choice but to source from the U.S. when alternatives are unavailable,” explains John Meletakos, owner of La Mer, a well-established fish market in Montreal that has been serving customers for 59 years. The market is renowned for its quality seafood, including clams, black bass, gray mullet, and wild striped bass.
Mike Meletakos, John’s son and the purchasing manager, emphasizes the importance of variety in their offerings. While he occasionally imports fish and mollusks from the U.S., he proudly notes that their top three best sellers—oysters, lobster, and salmon—are sourced locally. For Mike, excluding American seafood entirely doesn’t make sense, especially since his long-serving staff member points out that customers are always eager to explore new flavors.
Zakaria Nabil, a dedicated fishmonger at La Mer for 35 years, shares his enthusiasm for seafood from diverse origins, including royal dorado from Greece and black bass from the U.S., which he finds exceptionally delicious.
In Saint-Lambert, Toby Marchand, owner of the René Marchand fish market, is also navigating this complex situation. He recently shifted from American red snapper to sourcing red snapper from British Columbia. Toby found that prominently displaying U.S. products was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, leading him to seek alternatives. However, he remains committed to maintaining long-standing relationships, such as purchasing clams from a Maine fisherman for over three decades, much to the delight of his customers.
Toby, a self-proclaimed fish enthusiast, looks forward to the upcoming fishing season. In just a couple of weeks, boats will set sail from Rimouski and beyond to catch crabs, followed closely by the lobster season. He wonders aloud about the prospects of exporting as much as in previous years and whether there will be more local seafood available for sale.
While not all fish comes from the U.S., the American market plays a crucial role in the seafood supply chain. Boston serves as a central hub for North American seafood, similar to Chicago’s role in the grain market. During the off-season, La Mer and other markets rely heavily on Boston for their purchases. For instance, a Quebec fisherman with 20 halibuts in March typically sells them all in Boston without dividing the catch. However, during peak seasons for local crab and lobster, these crustaceans are often sold before they even cross the border, thanks to local processing plants operating in Gaspésie and the Maritimes.