The United States produces about 8.4 billion pounds of seafood annually.
And the average American only eats about 20 pounds of seafood a year.
But chicken? More than 100 pounds a year.
That gap has always fascinated me. Seafood is the healthiest, most affordable, and most environmentally friendly protein on the planet — and it's the one we eat least of.
I understand why. Seafood can feel confusing. Intimidating. And genuinely hard to find if you don't live near the water. Most grocery store fish counters have a handful of species, no story behind any of them, and nobody who can tell you when it came in.
But that's changed.
Over the last decade a wave of American fishermen, shellfish farmers, and century-old fish houses started shipping direct — flash-frozen at sea or harvested to order, packed with dry ice, on your doorstep in a day or two. It doesn't matter if you're in Nebraska or Nevada.
Sitka Seafood Market
Sitka Seafood Market started in 2012 as Sitka Salmon Shares — a community supported fishery built on the same idea as a CSA. You bought a share of the season and ate whatever came in. They've since grown into a full subscription and marketplace model, but the founding principle still holds: the fish comes from small-boat fishermen in Alaska, using low-impact gear, and every portion arrives marked with where it came from. They ship nationwide and shipping is free on orders over $120.
Wild Alaskan Company
Wild Alaskan Company was founded by Arron Kallenberg, a third-generation Bristol Bay fisherman — his grandfather started fishing Alaska from a wooden sailboat in 1926. The model is simple: pick a box, pick a frequency, and vacuum-sealed single portions show up at your door. Nothing to plan, nothing to break down, no guessing at portion sizes. They offer curated boxes of salmon and whitefish and offer customers the option to build their own custom box. Shipping is free, nationwide.
Wulf's Fish
This is where the chefs buy.
Sam Wulf started walking the Boston Fish Pier before sunrise in 1926 — white shirt and tie, picking his own fish, cutting it by hand. Three generations later, the company is still on that pier and still buying direct from fishermen and divers rather than through middlemen.
What's changed is that you can order it now too. Wulf's supplies James Beard winners and Michelin kitchens, and the same fish goes into the home delivery boxes. They offer next-day delivery, nationwide, free on orders over $150.
Taylor Shellfish Farms
The Taylor family has been farming the tidelands of Puget Sound since before Washington was much of a state, and they're now one of the largest shellfish producers in the country — still family-run.
And you can get all that sustainably raised shellfish delivered right to your door. Taylor’s offers nationwide shipping of their famous clams, mussels, oysters, geoduck, as well as a lineup of their sauces and tinned fish products.
Fulton Fish Market
Fulton has been running since 1822. It is the largest seafood market in the US and the largest in the world by variety, and it's where New York's restaurants have sourced for two centuries. A few years ago they opened it up to home cooks online.
Variety is the reason to go here. If you want branzino, or uni, or octopus, or whole fish for a party, or something you've never cooked before — this is the deepest inventory you'll find online. They ship nationwide and offer subscription services where you save money for ordering more.
Don't skip this: community supported fisheries
There are actually way more than five outlets where you can buy seafood online.
Let me introduce you to community supported fisheries.
A community supported fishery works like community supported agriculture. You buy a share of the season upfront, and seafood comes to you at regular intervals as the catch comes in. You don't pick the species — the ocean does. That's the point.
The upfront payment is what makes it powerful. It gives fishermen working capital before the season starts, which is the single hardest thing about making a living on a small boat. It cuts out the middlemen, which means the fisherman keeps more and you get better traceability. And because you're eating what's actually running, you end up cooking species you'd never have chosen — which is exactly how you become a better seafood cook.
Community supported fisheries have evolved since their original introduction. While many still operate using this upfront model (like my favourite Canadian CSF, Skipper Otto), many have grown to offer curated boxes and a la carte offerings. The one thing that doesn’t change: you’re still buying responsibly sourced seafood directly from fishermen.
Here's how to find one: the Local Catch Network maintains a seafood finder covering more than 200 member fisheries across North America. Search your region and see what's within reach of you.
I've written a full breakdown of how CSFs work, what to expect from a share, and why I think they're the best thing happening in seafood right now: What Is a Community Supported Fishery — and Why You Should Join One.
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And for my Canadians: Head over to my blog post, 5 websites where Canadians can order seafood online to get seafood shipped to your doorstep.
