July 1, 2024Happy 4th of July from the VMPB!

Celebrate the Fourth of July with Virginia Seafood! Let us help take the stress over what to serve this year at your holiday barbeque. Thanks to Virginia’s commercial watermen and women Virginia Seafood is available fresh and local year-round. The Virginia Seafood industry commercially targets over fifty species of seafood so there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

The highlight to any summer celebration in Virginia is the iconic Blue Crab, but there is plenty of variety for your 4^th of July Celebration. Virginia has many historically popular summer seafood treats, whether it’s Sea Scallops caught off the Atlantic Coast, finfish such as Flounder and Striped Bass or the Wild Blue Catfish, a relatively new species to Virginia that is both delicious and plentiful. Once thought to only be cold month fisheries thanks to the growth of Virginia’s Aquaculture industry Virginia Oysters and Hard Clams have become a year-round staple in Virginia as well. The growth of shellfish has even led to Virginia being first on the East Coast in Oyster production and first in the nation in Hard Clam production.

The best way to keep Virginia’s commercial watermen and women providing us with fresh and local seafood is to purchase from nearby retailers. For information on local retailers in your area follow this link. For information on seafood recipes follow this link. This year help support your community on 4^th of July weekend by purchasing fresh and local Virginia Seafood!