As we emerge from the chill of winter and launch into spring, many Australian seafood species come into delicious and abundant form. We dug into the auction data this year to bring you some of our top species picks for spring – from the common to the lesser-known!
Sardines
One of the nation’s best sources of Omega-3, Sardines are loved worldwide. Forming large schools in the ocean, they’re generally caught by a range of methods that target them specifically. Not only does this eliminate bycatch, but also helps to keep them low-priced. Make sure to work with the rich oiliness of Sardines when you cook them; flavours like lemon, garlic, and punchy herbs are ideal.
Grey Mackerel
This fish is our pick as the next of the tropical Mackerel family to make a name for itself. The bulk of Grey Mackerel supply is caught via line, trawl and netting in the warm waters of Northern Australia: primarily Queensland and the Northern Territory. As indicated by their narrow mouth with sharp, fine teeth, they predominantly feed on baitfish. This imparts a rich oiliness to their thick fillets, allowing for a wide variety of cooking methods. Try marinating cutlets and grilling them directly on your barbeque, or throwing large pieces in a vibrant curry.
Blue Mackerel 
The name Mackerel derives from the old French ‘macquerel’, which most closely translates as ‘pimp’ or ‘procurer’... This apparently refers to the practice of large shoals of mackerel enthusiastically spawning close to shore, and the fact that in Medieval times people had some bizarre theories about animal procreation.
Whatever the name, Blue Mackerel have some fantastic attributes. Known for their uncommonly high levels of Omega-3, this rich oil content opens up so many avenues to explore. Don’t be shy to char the skin, whether in the oven or on the BBQ, and embrace strong, fresh flavours like lemon and garlic.
A classic street food dish across the Mediterranean is a grilled Mackerel fillet with spices, diced tomato, olives, red onion, and lashings of fresh herbs, served in a fresh bread roll. Hungry yet?
Eastern School Whiting
Sourced from Noosa (QLD) south to Port Lincoln (SA), this small, sweet, delicate fish is one of Australia‘s most criminally underappreciated species. The fillets are lovely quickly pan fried on the skin side and just seared on the flesh side. The whole fish can be skewered and grilled over coals, or steamed with ginger and shallots, or deep fried like a chicken wing. The rib bones are easily removed or soft enough to eat without concern.
Yellowtail Scad
Something being great bait doesn’t disqualify it as great food. Fresh squid, prawns, pipis and crabs all do well on a hook, but just as well in a pan! Also known as Horse Mackerel, Yellowtail Scad is served alongside Tuna, Salmon, and Kingfish in sushi bars world-wide, and rightly so.
One of the smallest members of the Trevally family, this abundant fish has thick fillets of clear, sweet flesh with just enough oil to prevent from drying out when you cook it. It’s a great fish for either wrapping in foil and grilling on a hotplate, or dusting the fillets in seasoned flour and deep-frying.
Bonito
A true east coast rock star, these fish live fast and die young! Reaching harvest weight in under a year and with a maximum lifespan of five years, Bonito are a popular recreational catch, as well as being increasingly valuable to the commercial industry.
They mostly eat small fish, which imparts a lovely intramuscular fat and briny flavour to the flesh. Seared Bonito loin (Tataki) is a great way to use a small amount as an alternative to a larger Tuna. Our favourite method for this fish, however, is hot smoking. Skinned fillets are rubbed with a paste of brown sugar and soy and placed in a hot smoker for about ten minutes. So good!