![\"Hatteras](\"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2016\/12\/DSC_0010-2-LF_web.jpg\")
Why feature bluefish? They\u2019re a part of local culture \u2014 and abundant off the North Carolina coast \u2014 notes Mary Ellon Ballance, a fish-fry organizer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBecause bluefish are so readily available in the summer months, it makes them an economical choice for us. The more money we can make, the more the community benefits. We support commercial fishermen by buying bluefish from them, and then we donate all our profits to charitable organizations in our community,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Proceeds from the fish fry support community projects, such as the Hatteras Village Civic Association, the volunteer fire company\u2019s Ladies Auxiliary, local churches and the island food pantry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt really is a win-win for everyone. It\u2019s a must-do event for people passing through on vacation. Many people have been coming to experience the Hatteras Fish Fry for over 30 years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BLUE BIOLOGY<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Bluefish travel in large groups, or schools. They swim along the Eastern Seaboard from Maine to Florida. Off the North Carolina coast, they can be found in all seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blues are migratory apex predators. They eat other fish, rather than dining on zooplankton or phytoplankton. In fact, these voracious feeders \u201ceat whatever is most abundant,\u201d explains James Morley, whose master\u2019s and doctoral research at North Carolina State University focused on the fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTheir teeth are similar to a great white shark\u2019s, meant for grabbing and ripping relatively large prey in half,\u201d Morley notes. He now studies climate and migration patterns of marine species, including bluefish, as a postdoctoral researcher at Rutgers University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In North Carolina, they typically eat anchovies, but bluefish are known to take chunks out of many other fish. Morley once found the tail of a stingray in a bluefish\u2019s belly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The fish can live up to 12 years and may exceed 30 pounds in some places along the East Coast, making the fish popular among anglers seeking a large catch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The species is readily available on our coast, according to Beth Egbert, a biologist with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries who monitors bluefish. \u201cThey have a healthy, viable stock, are fun to catch, and as long as you eat them fresh, they\u2019re a very tasty fish,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TO EAT, OR NOT TO EAT?<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Scott Baker<\/a>, a fisheries specialist for North Carolina Sea Grant, notes that the fish are popular among all fishermen. \u201cBluefish are among the top 10 fish harvested for both commercial and recreational fisheries \u2014 which isn\u2019t common,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBluefish are an important recreational catch, mainly for the thrill of the catch rather than targeted table fare,\u201d Baker adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He believes the fish may be underappreciated by those who live farther from the North Carolina coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Inland residents may not seek them out in markets or restaurants. \u201cMost consumers dismiss bluefish without trying it,\u201d he says, noting one drawback may be that the fish is very oily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bluefish oils are high in omega-3 fatty acids, a key part of a balanced diet. But their fat also gives these fish a unique \u2014 and strong \u2014 flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey taste like the ocean,\u201d Egbert says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bluefish found off North Carolina\u2019s coast typically are not large adults because more mature fish move north of Cape Hatteras in the summer, likely following optimal temperatures and food. The aggregation of small fish here can discourage anglers who are aiming for larger catches but may actually benefit those who eat bluefish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Smaller fish mean lower omega-3 fat content, lighter flavor intensity \u2014 and lower mercury concentrations. Apex predators such as bluefish can accumulate high mercury levels. However, large concentrations are less likely in the smaller fish caught off the state\u2019s coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Baker advises moderation in consuming this fish \u2014 and all other seafood. \u201cVary what you eat throughout the week,\u201d he says. So why aren\u2019t more people eating bluefish? Freshness could be a factor, notes Barry Nash<\/a>, Sea Grant seafood technology and marketing specialist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBluefish can lose its fresh flavor very quickly because of its high levels of unsaturated fat,\u201d he explains. The more exposure to oxygen, the faster the fish degrades, creating a stronger flavor some might find unappealing, he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These tender-fleshed fish are most commonly found at local fish markets February through April, although commercial and recreational seasons are year-round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen picking your bluefish and other finfish at a market, look for flesh that is firm, elastic and translucent in color, with a mild scent and moist appearance,\u201d Nash notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAvoid any fish with flesh that is bruised or mushy, is milky colored, or has dry or browned edges,\u201d he adds, noting that more seafood selection tips are available from Sea Grant\u2019s Quality Counts<\/em> poster<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Go to www.fishwatch.gov\/profiles\/bluefish<\/a> for bluefish nutrition facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mention blues at the North Carolina coast and you are likely to get a story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mike Willis, a Harkers Island local, has spent his life surrounded by bluefish. His memories trace back to a childhood spent in his family\u2019s commercial fishing business. \u201cWhen I was young, I thought fish were gross,\u201d he says, citing the pungent smells from the fish house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By age 7, though, Willis was out fishing with the rest of his family \u2014 and bluefish became one of his favorites. \u201cI like fishing for them because they\u2019re more violent. It makes them more fun to catch.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eventually, Willis found himself working at a popular local seafood restaurant. Customers often were pleasantly surprised when Willis suggested the broiled and seasoned bluefish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe problem is that people have a preconception of the taste of bluefish before they give it a chance,\u201d Willis notes. \u201cThe fish definitely are an acquired taste, but they\u2019re more of a local thing. They\u2019re generally not on most restaurants\u2019 menus, so you have to specifically ask if they have bluefish in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Hatteras Island, you might hear about how, on a late summer\u2019s day, Bodey Perry, just a day shy of his third birthday, caught his first fish by himself. It was a bluefish. His face lit up with joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or there\u2019s the time that Gilliam Shisler, age 7, caught a 14-pounder off Pamlico Sound, and set himself on a path tracing his family\u2019s footsteps. He took his catch to Bodey Perry\u2019s family shop, Frisco Rod and Gun, for an official weigh-in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFollowing his grandfather\u2019s tradition, Gilliam and his father, Jeremy, smoked it and made salad,\u201d Foster recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At all ages, though, these fish make a mark. \u201cBluefish catches are usually so abundant that the fishermen share their catches, especially with the older folks,\u201d Foster adds. \u201cMany of the older people no longer catch their own, nor have a spouse to catch for them, so they truly appreciate it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A few miles from Perry\u2019s store, high-school students learned about bluefish through a community project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Evan Ferguson, the marketing and foods teacher for Cape Hatteras Secondary School, enlisted Amy Gaw, co-founder of Outer Banks SeaSalt, to demonstrate how to prepare a healthy meal with bluefish and other locally sourced products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hatteras seafood dealer Jeff Aiken donated a pile of bluefish. Capt. Ernie Foster, Lynne Foster\u2019s husband and the captain of the Albatross<\/em> fleet, taught the students how to clean and fillet the fresh fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe chose bluefish because it was in season at the time, affordable and underutilized by most home cooks. Because of its darker meat, bluefish gets a bad rap. It\u2019s a very misunderstood fish,\u201d Ferguson explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the kitchen classroom, Ferguson and Gaw showed students an easy way to prepare the fish that did not involve frying. Initially, Ferguson\u2019s students were resistant to the new, healthier method. But Gaw\u2019s recipe won them over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOther than fried, students hadn\u2019t had the fish many other ways, so they were apprehensive when they heard we were making bluefish. The students really enjoyed going to the docks to pick up the fish, learning new ways to prepare it and sampling the dish,\u201d Ferguson notes. \u201cOverall, it was a great experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n And her students learned that baked bluefish is just as much of a treat as fried bluefish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Find out more about selecting high-quality seafood and when particular fish might be available at ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/localseafood<\/a>. For more recipes, visit marinersmenu.org<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n Emily White<\/strong> is a North Carolina Sea Grant communications intern. She is a senior at NC State University, majoring in science, technology and society.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n This article was published in the Holiday 2016<\/a> issue of Coastwatch.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Cape](\"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2016\/12\/IMG_6994-EF_web.jpg\")
LOCAL FLAVOR<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Bodey](\"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2016\/12\/14054417_10210181246197914_8183881510021938148_o-KPweb.jpg\")
![\"Gilliam](\"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2016\/12\/13912319_1015441699426313_5007984351461971050_n-KP-web.jpg\")