Spring is a great season for many reasons: the days become longer, and we welcome the warmer weather. But want to know the highlight of spring for us? Some of our favourite seafood species begin to thrive, meaning plenty of delicious dinners ahead.
Here are just a few Australian species that come into their best form this season.
Australian Salmon
The next time someone tells you that a fish is inedible, ask them if they’ve tried it before. Because this species is one of the strongest examples of the gulf between its reputation and actual eating quality. This is a fish that responds particularly well to proper handling methods such as brain spiking, bleeding, and placing in an ice slurry as quickly as possible. Good handling methods make for a clean, firm, meaty fillet that is excellent as crumbed fish pieces, minced in fish cakes, barbequed, smoked, or even sashimi.
School Whiting 
Abundant along Australia’s East coast, the School Whiting is an uncommonly delicate and sweet fish, and it's their small size and consistently reasonable price that makes them stand out. Sydney Fish Market’s local trawl fleet captures these fish in large numbers and sells them at our auction daily (weather permitting).
These are great to cook whole - steamed, grilled, wrapped in foil and baked. For something truly moreish try cleaning (or asking your fishmonger to clean) whole fish, before breading them Southern Fried Chicken style and deep-frying. Serve with wedges of lemon, pickles, and sides. Cook more than you think you’ll eat, as this dish is hard to resist!
Goldband Snapper
Renowned as one of the most delectable catches in tropical Australia, the Goldband Snapper is a winner in spring.
Typically mid-sized, small whole fish weigh about 1.5kg and larger fish well over 5kg. Smaller fish are often sold whole, while the larger fish are usually filleted. Whole fish are particularly amenable to grilling or roasting whole, and fillets are best portioned and similarly cooked.
Sardines 
One of the nation’s best sources of Omega-3, Sardines are wild caught across the entire southern half of Australia and loved worldwide. Forming large schools in the ocean, Sardines are generally caught by a range of methods that target them specifically. Not only does this eliminate bycatch, but also helps to keep this species low-priced!
Usually sold either whole or as fillets, make sure to utilise the rich oiliness of this fish when you cook it. Flavours such as lemon, garlic, and punchy herbs work best.
Silver Trevally
Silver Trevally is found in nearly every corner of Southern Australia. They have a firm, clear flesh, therefore are the perfect fish to serve raw or acid-cured.
They’re also an excellent species to practice filleting on: why not bite the bullet, buy the whole fish, and break it down yourself? The fillets are easy to remove, and the rib bones are easily avoided - with the skin tough enough to qualify as ‘beginner level skinning’.
Dice, marinate in soy and ginger and serve over rice as a donburi. Delicious!