Fish is typically the top pick for Good Friday cooks, but crustaceans look like getting their claws on the action, too.
Forty tonnes of prawns, for example, are expected to be weighed and bought at Sydney Fish Market during the Easter long weekend.
"Crustaceans have become a bit more popular," Claudio's Quality Seafoods director George Costi told AAP.
"I think the reason is because it's easy. (With) prawns, everything's prepared.
"But things like salmon, snapper, barramundi are always big sellers and also fish fillets."
And when he says "big sellers", he's not exaggerating.
The demand for seafood at Sydney Fish Market is so high on Good Friday - its busiest day of the year - the doors open at 5am and stay that way for 12 hours.
Not that 5am is early enough for some.
Mr Costi said they started setting up at 1.30am but some customers were already strolling in by 2.30am.
"You do get a few of those early birds who just want to beat the rush," Mr Costi said.
"If the odd customer does walk in, we're not going to say no."
At noon on Friday, the markets were packed with people, and a rush of more than 50,000 is expected throughout the day.
And they are expected to snap up more than 370 tonnes of seafood over the long weekend, including 40 tonnes of prawns and 240,000 oysters.
Sydney Fish Markets' general manager Bryan Skepper said the weather in the past month had been perfect for fishing.
"This week we've had fantastic supplies come in," he said.
"We've had one of our biggest supply weeks for years that I can remember, because the fishing conditions have been so good."
TIPS FOR SELECTING AND COOKING SEAFOOD
- Check for a fresh, ocean smell
- Check for firm flesh
- Check for clear eyes
- Keep it cool, store below 4C
- Don't overcook. For a whole salmon, about 3-4kg, put it in foil on the barbecue or in the oven for 40 minutes
- When it's cooked, the flesh starts to break away from the bone easily
- Budget-conscious? Opt for calamari, squid and mussels - cook them on the barbecue and toss through a salad
- Visit sydneyfishmarket.com.au for more information, tips and recipes
Share
