Here in the Ocean State, we love our seafood. This species guide will help sort out the wide range of seafood landed in Rhode Island so you know what it looks like, when it’s around, and how it tastes!
AKA: American butterfish, Dollarfish, Shiner, Skipjack, Sheepshead, Harvestfish
SEASONALITY: Year-round
TASTE: Fatty, oily
COLOR: White
TEXTURE: Firm, smooth
NUTRITION: Good source of niacin, B6, phosphorus, vitamin B12, selenium
AKA: Sea bass, Blackfish, Rock bass, Black bass, Tallywag
SEASONALITY: Year-round; Peak: Jan-Feb, May, July, Nov
TASTE: Mild, fresh, somewhat delicate
COLOR: Snow white when cooked
TEXTURE: Tender but firm
NUTRITION: Low fat, source of protein and magnesium
AKA: Loligo squid, Winter squid, Boston squid, Longfin inshore squid
SEASONALITY: Year-round
TASTE: Mild, slightly sweet
COLOR: Opaque white
TEXTURE: Firm
NUTRITION: Good source of selenium, riboflavin and vitamin B12
AKA: Goosefish, Monktails, Angler, Fishing frog, Allmouth, Molligut, Abbot, Sea-devil, Lotte
SEASONALITY: Year-round, Peak: Jan-July, Oct-Dec
TASTE: Mild, slightly sweet
COLOR: White
TEXTURE: Tail meat is firm and dense
NUTRITION: Good source of niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, potassium, phosphorus, selenium
AKA: Hard clam, Quahog, Round clam, Chowder clam
SEASONALITY: Year-round
TASTE: Flavorful, salty
COLOR: Pinkish
TEXTURE: Firm
NUTRITION: Low fat, selenium, zinc, iron, magnesium, B vitamins
AKA: Porgy, Maiden, Fair maid, Ironsides, Northern porgy
SEASONALITY: Year-round, Peak: April – June
TASTE: Mild
COLOR: White
TEXTURE: Lean and flaky
NUTRITION: Low sodium, high in niacin, phosphorus, vitamins B6 and B12, and selenium
AKA: Whiting, Atlantic hake, New England hake
SEASONALITY: Year-round, Peak: April-May, July-Nov
TASTE: Mild and slightly sweet
COLOR: White, off-white
TEXTURE: Softer flesh, less flaky
NUTRITION: Good source of selenium, vitamin B, magnesium and protein
AKA: Dogfish shark, Cape dogfish, Cape shark, Spring dogfish, Spiked dogfish, Grayfish, Spur dog, Piked dogfish
SEASONALITY: Year-round
TASTE: Mild and sweet
COLOR: White when cooked
TEXTURE: Flaky but firm
NUTRITION: High in selenium, and vitamins B6 and B12
AKA: Flounder, Fluke, Northern fluke, Hirame
SEASONALITY: Year-round, Peak: Feb-Aug, Nov-Dec
TASTE: Delicate flavor
COLOR: White
TEXTURE: Flaky and fine
NUTRITION: Good source of B vitamins and niacin
AKA: Triglidae
SEASONALITY: May to October
TASTE: Mild, sweet flavor
COLOR: White
TEXTURE: Firm, slightly flaky
NUTRITION: Rich in Vitamin B12 and niacin
AKA: Blackfish
SEASONALITY: Year-round, Peak: April-May, October-November
TASTE: Delicate, sweet
COLOR: White
TEXTURE: Firm, dry
NUTRITION: Good source of vitamin A, phosphorus, calcium, and iron
AKA: Skate, Big skate, Spotted skate, Eyed skate
SEASONALITY: Year-round
TASTE: Mild, flavor similar to scallops
COLOR: Off-white
TEXTURE: Firm and stringy (striated wings)
NUTRITION: Low in sodium and fat
Download our beautifully illustrated harvest calendar of the harvest seasons for fifteen of our major species. And since we have far more many seafood species in our waters than could ever be crammed on the calendar, we also have a more comprehensive harvest chart:
