Wild Virginia Croaker is a delicious, mild tasting fish caught along Virginia's Eastern Shore, the Chesapeake Bay and its many tributaries. It's been a part of Virginia cuisine since Captain John Smith raved about the bounty of the region. Today, it's still wild, abundant and sustainable. And best of all, it sings your accountant's favorite tune.
If you're interested in Wild Virginia Croaker be sure to call us at 757-874-3474 or email Joe Cardwell. We have free fact sheets for retailers and foodservice, recipes, and a list of Virginia suppliers to buy from.
Croaker: Micropogonias undulatus
Market Forms: Usually sold whole; dressed. Recently, larger fish are available that can be filleted.
Size: The average croaker weighs in at 1/2 to 2 lbs.
Taste/Texture: Tender meat with a mild, sweet flavor.
Seasonality: Croaker is found in near-shore and Chesapeake Bay waters during the spring, summer, and fall, and are available further south and offshore during the winter.
Nutritional Value: 104 Calories (100 grams, 3.5 oz.) 17.8% Protein 3.2% Fat .22% Omega-3
Substitutability: Similar in taste to the spot, mullet, lake trout, or whitefish, among others. Larger fillets can be substituted for striped bass, catfish, and snapper.
Habitat: Croakers are profuse in the mid-Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay areas. The species does range from Maine to Argentina.
Folklore: Anyone who has ever caught a croaker, knows how it got its name. But no one really knows why the "talking fish" talks--whether to keep in touch with other members of the school, to echo sound for depth, or to express itself during breeding season. Its loud and distinctive "voice" did manage to foil the U.S. Government and scientists during WWII when a hydrophone system set up in the Chesapeake Bay to detect German submarines began to pick up incessant signals--as it turned out, the call of a croaker. This is no idle chatter!
Harvesting: Croaker is one of Virginia's most abundant fish. The haul seine, otter trawl, pound net, and gill net are used to bring in the quantities of fish caught commercially every year.
