About SomethingFishy.net

Real Fish. Real Places. Real Adventure.

Born from fish markets, family tables, old fishermen, working docks, seafood counters, and a lifelong respect for the people who bring fresh American fish and seafood from the water to our plates.

Join the Business Crew Find American Seafood

Where It Started

Multi-generational family fishing together in Melbourne Bay — Fishing with family helped shape a lifelong appreciation for fresh seafood, fishermen and coastal communities.

As a child, I loved pressing my face against the glass of a neighborhood fish and seafood shop run by three Greek brothers. It was a multi-generational family business, the kind of place where the counter was more than a counter. It was a window into the sea.

Behind the glass were rows of fish, prawns, crabs, lobster, scallops, oysters, and other treasures layered on fresh crushed ice. From below the front of the counter you would hear a child's voice asking, "What's that?" and then, "What's that one?"

The brothers were always patient. They would tell me the name of the fish, sometimes even its scientific name, where it had been caught, when it came in, and how it was harvested. Local. This morning. Last night. Longline. Scallop boat. Bay catch. Fresh from the dock.

Those small conversations taught me that seafood was not just food. It had a story, a place, a season, a craft, and people behind it.

SomethingFishy.net exists to help people rediscover that connection: the fish, the place, the hands that caught it, and the businesses that honor it.

My mother bought fresh fish weekly, and on Fridays she would prepare a wonderful fish meal for dinner. On special occasions, Dad came to the fish shop too. When he came along, we knew we might be getting fresh prawns, crab, maybe even lobster. Those visits became part of summer breaks, blue skies, celebrations, backyard barbecues, water fights with siblings and cousins, laughter, and the scent of sweet mixed spices drifting from Mum's kitchen.

From Family Boats To Seafood Kitchens

On Saturdays, our family would head to the boat: Dad, Mum, brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. We would fish the bay, chasing pink snapper, flathead, and whatever was in season. After returning to the dock, we would walk through Melbourne's great fresh food markets.

My favorite stop was Angelo and Nick's corner fishmongers, a family business they had owned since the 1960s. Angelo was quick to offer something to taste and tell you where it came from, how local weather had shaped the catch, and what the fishermen had faced out on the bay.

Later, I entered culinary school and became a chef, apprenticing under some of the country's finest seafood chefs. I watched masters pause before preparing a whole fish, lobster, crab, or oyster, studying the brightness of the eyes, the smell of the ocean, the texture of the skin, and the color of the flesh.

One old boss would often say that our job was to honor the hard and challenging work of the fishermen by presenting their catch at its very best.

Why SomethingFishy.net Matters

For years, many local fish and seafood businesses have suffered under rising costs, changing markets, and intense pressure from cheap imports that may not reflect the same standards, regulations, transparency, or care expected from American fisheries and seafood businesses.

SomethingFishy.net was created by people who believe in supporting American-harvested fish and seafood, the restaurants and markets that serve it, the guides and charters that teach people to appreciate it, and the fishing communities that keep these traditions alive.

We are here to showcase the amazing products our local and regional seafood industries bring to our tables every day, and to help customers vote with their dollars for quality, freshness, accountability, and American seafood heritage.

Samting™
Chief Seafood Investigator

Snow Buddy™
The Cool Crab

Shrimply™
The Happy Helper

What We Stand For

Real FishPromoting American-harvested fish and seafood from oceans, bays, rivers, lakes, farms, docks, and markets.

Real PlacesHelping people find restaurants, fish markets, oyster bars, fish and chip shops, seafood suppliers, guides, and coastal communities.

Real StoriesCelebrating fishermen, fishmongers, chefs, family businesses, festivals, recipes, and seafood traditions.

Real RespectHonoring the skill, risk, regulation, labor, and care required to bring high-quality seafood to the table.

Does your business use American-harvested fish or seafood?

We love promoting quality seafood businesses. Join the crew and tell us ya yarn.