The pomfret problem: There's plenty other fish in the sea

Last week in Vasai restaurateur Adith Fernandes spotted a local fisherwoman selling pomfret the length of a finger In theory juvenile fishing is banned and criminal proceedings are initiated against boat owners who use smallmesh nets that prevent fish from maturing Mangroves are sacred since they serve as essential breeding and nursery grounds for young pomfret In December 2023 Maharashtra officially declared the white or silver pomfret the State Fish to promote focused conservation and raise awareness of its dwindling populationSeafood supplier Ankush Shewale at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Mandai near Crawford Market PICATUL KAMBLEOn the ground the reality differs On March 20 the Supreme Court allowed the BMC to cut thousands of mangrove trees for the Versova Bhayandar coastal road project And juvenile fishing continues in plain sightldquoItrsquos out in the open driven by a chain of decisions where everyone benefits in the short term The fisher earns for the day the middleman moves stock the restaurant gets supplies and the customer feels theyrsquove scored a deal Everyone is happy in that moment but no one is thinking about what happens nextrdquo says Fernandes whose late father Francis Fernandes started Fresh Catch in 1998 to serve authentic coastal seafood Fernandes and his sister Ankita now run itSilver pomfret native to Indiarsquos coast and prized for its delicate buttery flavour is no longer a dependable catch In several regions populations have fallen from stable to critically threatened with annual landings dropping from nearly 1200 tonnes to just 40 over four decades Along the Mumbai coast fish that once averaged 350 to 400 grams now weigh 250 to 300 grams and juveniles are caught before they can reproducePomfret prices have risen 20ndash50 per cent in recent weeks driven by reduced fishing activity and higher fuel costs with rates hovering between Rs 900 and Rs 2000 per kilo depending on size and dayWhiteblackboards help educate guests on less popular fishldquoSupply disruptions are now routine Fewer boats head out seasonal fluctuations tighten volumes and the preban slowdown adds pressurerdquo says Ankush Shewale a seafood supplier and content creator ankushseafood focused on educating the masses about seafood and sustainable practices through Instagram He hails from Shewalewadi village in Satara district where fishing sustains entire communitiesShewale warns that the strain runs deeper than pricing Overfishing is steadily eroding the marine food chain removing key species from coastal ecosystems that depend on balance Studies have long highlighted the need for stricter regulation of gillnets and trawlers to ensure sustainability yet enforcement remains inconsistent He explains how the cityrsquos supply system works Mumbairsquos fish flows through hubs like Sassoon Dock Ferry Wharf Bhaucha Dhakka and Crawford Market with stock arriving from across the coastline from Gujarat to West Bengal alongside local landings from Madh Colaba Vasai Mahim and NaigaonSudhir PaildquoFishing in India is neither regulated nor organised Demand drives everythingrdquo he says ldquoAdd vote bank politics pollution along the coast and shrinking mangroves and the pressure only builds Our fishing grounds are limited covering barely 10 nautical miles Every year the catch declines and we are already seeing signs of species disappearing even endangered fish quietly entering marketsrdquoSayli Walke head of marketing and research Nav Chaitanya points to what is changing at sea ldquoFishing has moved from slower selective methods to highintensity practicesrdquo she says ldquoTrawlers now stay out for 10 to 15 days sometimes a month moving across coasts Strong lights are used to draw fish in and once they gather everything gets caught juveniles algae debris and even plastic Fishing is expensive and uncertain and since there is no guarantee of a good haul what sells is kept and the rest is discarded or pushed into fish paste animal feed and processed products allowing waste and contaminants to move through the chainrdquoNav Chaitanyarsquos Silver BreamsOther fish in the seaIf overfishing is the problem preference is the pressure point Chef Sudhir Pai of TAT in Vikhroli points out that urban Indian seafood plate has revolved around a familiar trio pomfret surmai and ravas That dominance is now beginning to strain under its own weight ldquoThese fish are harder to source uneven in quality and steadily more expensive The reasons are layered from overfishing and pollution to a disregard for breeding cycles We donrsquot follow the basics and the sea is paying for itrdquo he saysNav Chaitanyarsquos Tandoor TamboshiAlternatives like basa and farmed seabass once eased the pressure especially in banqueting and frozen formats but they never translated into regional Indian cooking ldquoFor a proper fish curry basa doesnrsquot work It lacks texture flavour soulrdquo he addsFernandes sees the cultural side of this clearly ldquoPomfret is not just popular it is aspirational Itrsquos what you order to impress It sits in that slightly elite space Itrsquos not caviar but it holds that place Part of the appeal is practical pomfret is easy to eat and fillet and is mildflavoured so for someone starting with seafood itrsquos the safest recommendation Surmai and Ravas follow close behindrdquo he addsSayli Warke and Adith FernandesOver time that comfort has hardened into dependence A narrow band of fish now carries the weight of an entire cityrsquos appetite ldquoWhat diners rarely see is what happens at the source At some restaurants you see pomfret at prices that donrsquot add up Then you realise they are selling smaller fish that are cheaper Ecologically the cost is far higherrdquo Fernandes addsAt the heart of the issue is size As larger fish grow scarce and expensive smaller ones are caught before they mature locking the cycle in place For Chef Hussain Shahzad executive chef at Hunger Inc stepping away from pomfret is a conscious call It does not feature on The Bombay Canteenrsquos menu ldquoSupply is uncertain prices have surged and the right size is hard to find Not everyone will pay Rs 1000 for a fish Therersquos also this idea of a lsquoplatesize fishrsquo that restaurants chase Fish donrsquot grow uniformly Trying to meet that expectation puts pressure on the system Itrsquos a beautiful fish but I donrsquot want to drive demand for something already under stressrdquo he saysFernandes agrees that restraint has to start somewhere ldquoPomfret is an easy seller People trust it theyrsquoll order it But you have to draw a line If the fish is too small or the larger catch is not fresh we do not buy it Guests walk in asking for pomfret only to be told it is unavailable But that moment opens a door to tell them try another fish insteadrdquoPai shifts the conversation to what is being overlooked ldquoThe issue is not supply but perception Take mackerel Often dismissed as too strong or too bony it is nutritionally rich high in Omega3 and second only to salmon In cuisines like Japanese it is treated with precision deboned cured and elevated Itrsquos about technique The fish isnrsquot the problem Our approach isrdquoThis is where the chefrsquos role is changing It is no longer just about cooking but about curation and communication Introducing lesserknown fish adapting them into familiar formats and building narratives that help diners understand what they are eatingldquoSmall shifts in how dishes are presented can change how they are receivedrdquo Shahzad says ldquoThe sea is changing and the flavours we grew up with are gone For chefs that means constant recalibration adjusting to each batch each supplier each catchrdquo says PaiAt The Bombay Canteen that shift shows up in variety Mandeli bangda red snapper seabass bombil squid prawns and mud crabs guided by season and availability ldquoPeople ask for pomfret because itrsquos familiarrdquo he says ldquoBut they donrsquot always know what else is out there Take bangda Itrsquos flavourful but has bones which can make it intimidating Our job is to make it accessible through technique preparation and pairing Make it inviting and habits begin to moverdquoSeasonality is where the disconnect is sharpest Fish follow cycles Menus rarely do Restaurants Fernandes believes have more influence than they admit ldquoIf we donrsquot stock something it doesnrsquot get ordered Itrsquos that simple One small decision repeated across thousands of plates adds up It canrsquot be one person fixing it It has to happen somewhere along the chain the fisherman the seller the restaurant or the customer If even one of them pauses it makes a difference People walk in with fixed choices Moving them takes effortrdquo he saysldquoMy father would explain a dish what it is and why it matters Today our team carries that forward at the table sharing small but meaningful details What a fish is known for where it comes from and who typically eats it The goal is not to lecture but to invite curiosity Take ladyfish or mordoshi Common along the Konkan and Goan coasts but largely overlooked in Mumbai It is lean high in protein rich in omega3 fatty acids iodine and vitamin D You tell someone that and theyrsquore willing to try it Wersquove had guests who now come in specifically asking for it That shift takes time but it does happenrdquo he saysWalke sees a similar pattern ldquoUnlike a triedandtested pomfret fry an unfamiliar fish doesnrsquot always land immediatelyrdquo she saysldquoBut once people try it and realise itrsquos good and more affordable they come back to it Therersquos also the silver bream Shetka which looks like pomfret and even tastes better People hesitate because they donrsquot know it So we nudge them to try it oncerdquoSeasonrsquos specialEating seasonally is as much about sustainability as it is about taste It allows fish the time they need to breed easing pressure on already strained stocks At Nav Chaitanya that principle shapes the menu ldquoDuring the monsoon we shift to local fish such as red snapper silver bream and mud crabs These come from backwaters rivers mangroves and estuaries Not all fish breed in the monsoon Each has its own cycle So instead of forcing yearround demand we adjustrdquo says Walke It is a small shift but one that runs counter to the urban expectation of having everything all the timeShetty Hotel Style Fish Pulimunchi Summer menu at The Bombay CanteenWalke avoids frozen fish as far as possible ldquoIf a vendor canrsquot guarantee freshness we donrsquot serve itrdquo she adds Over time that judgment becomes instinctive Walke credits her mother who spent years handling fish for teaching her how to read it ldquoThere are small tells With pomfret press near the gills A clear liquid means itrsquos fresh If itrsquos reddish itrsquos not With mackerel the eyes say everything If they turn dull or red you knowrdquoThe problem with the fridgeIndia enforces an annual twomonth fishing ban along both coasts cutting off fresh sea fish and pushing the market towards inconsistent frozen supply The problem with frozen fish is not the method but the execution Quality is inconsistent often poor Shewale says ldquoThe issue isnrsquot freezing itself itrsquos the fish that goes into it and how itrsquos handled Much of the stock is bought in bulk at lower prices to achieve higher margins later which means the starting quality is often average or below average Add delays in blastfreezing and breaks in the cold chain and the results show When itrsquos thawed the texture turns soft almost cottonlike The smell drops the taste followsrdquoHussain ShahzadOver time this has shaped perception Frozen seafood is widely seen as inferior Done right he says the opposite is true Fish that is blastfrozen within hours of being caught can retain equal even better nutritional value than fresh fish that has sat in the market for days Nutrient loss begins the moment the fish is harvested Rapid freezing slows that process preserving proteins and omega3 fatty acidsTo address this Shewale suggests a more structured approach A Frozen Seafood Festival backed by a nationwide awareness campaign supported by certified highquality frozen stock through proper supply channels ldquoParticipation by seafoodfocused restaurants during the ban could help normalise it This will lead to better quality control greater consumer trust reduced reliance on unregulated supply and improved price stability Surplus catch in peak season can be processed and frozen to standard rather than sold cheaply supporting fishermen and creating a buffer for the ban periodrdquo he addsThe shift aheadThe future of seafood will not be shaped by one sweeping change but by many smaller ones Menus that move with the tide kitchens that choose not to serve something when it does not meet the mark and diners willing to step outside their comfort zones to try something new because what is at stake is not just what ends up on the plate today but what remains in the water tomorrow As Shewale puts it ldquoThe scene can change but it will take two to three years for the cycle to set if only the consumers give up the greed and give the fish a chance to breedrdquoFish from other coastsMumbairsquos appetite for seafood far exceeds what its coastline can supply A significant share comes from Gujarat much of it frozen a sign of how stretched the system already is ldquoFish is available in markets yearround but offseason supply is often frozen or sourced from other coastal states The white pomfret from the Gujarat and Maharashtra coasts is different but only an expert can tell Ninetyfive per cent of the time pomfret comes from Howrah or Gujarat Prices typically range from Rs 350ndashRs 700 per kg depending on size and supplier and are cheaper than the Maharashtra variantsrdquo says Ankush ShewaleWhere it goesWhat happens to the catch depends on the species and value Premium fish like yellowfin and bluefin tuna are exported to markets while most others are sold locally A quieter stream feeds the pet food industry smaller fish like mandeli along with rejected catch and bycatch In trade parlance this is ldquokhatar cha maalrdquo lowvalue stock that sells for Rs 30ndashRs 35 per kilo essentially what the market rejects and redirects into processed feedRs 3 crof global fish production and supporting 3 crore livelihoods837Indiarsquos share of global fish produce itrsquos the 2ndlargest producer350No of seafood products India exports to 130 countriesHerersquos how key fish typically track across the yearDuring June and July a fishing ban is in place along the west coast so itrsquos advisable to avoid fresh sea fish While some fish may still be available then they are often limited and priced significantly higher Broadly August to February is considered the best window for seafood consumption Fishing resumes after the monsoon ban bringing in fresh catch and supply remains relatively stable through winterSurmai kingfish Best from September to February availability drops in summerRawas Indian salmon October to March is ideal with peak flavour in winterPomfret and halwa black pomfret October to March is peak season when both quality and taste are at their bestChinese pomfret Largely sourced from regions like Gujarat and West Bengal better quality is usually seen from November to FebruaryBombil Bombay duck Best consumed fresh between October and February in summer smaller sizes are more common and often used for dryingSardines tarli August to January is ideal when the fish is at its fattiest and most flavourful quantities taper off by late MarchBangda mackerel Peak season runs from August to December available yearround but quality can vary outside this windowSquid Good from August to February with winter offering better qualityPrawns Peak season is July to November postmonsoon after that supply tightens and prices begin to rise