Always Fresh, Never Frozen

Fresh Seafood Market in Wrightsville Beach, NC

Fresh and In Season

The fresh seafood varieties carried by the Motts Channel Seafood Market vary from each day, week, month, and season. These guys may not always cooperate, but when they do you’re in for something special, order fresh seafood today! Below is a sampling of what we have to offer and information about what you can expect, especially if it’s your first time enjoying our fresh catch. We also have frozen seafood and bait. Buy fresh fish Wilmington NC, and try some local shrimp near you for a delicious seafood feast. Don’t forget to indulge in fresh crab meat for a truly delectable meal. Enjoy Motts Channel Seafood’s 4 for $40 Fresh Shrimp Deal, perfectly fresh, local shrimp at a price that makes every meal a coastal favorite! Not sure how to cook this catch? Read some of our seafood recipes and cooking tips.

FLOUNDER

Flounder is a mild-tasting fish with a slightly sweet undertone. Its texture is delicate and fine with low levels of oiliness and moisture. Fishes with a similar flavor profile include halibut, tilapia, and branzino.

GROUPER

Grouper is a mild-tasting, oily fish with a faintly sweet undertone. Compared to other fish, it is one of the mildest with very little taste.

MAHI

Mahi mahi is a mild-tasting fish with a faintly sweet undertone. It has a stronger “fishy” flavor than white fish like haddock or cod but tastes milder than swordfish. Larger, mature fish generally have a stronger taste than younger ones

TUNA

Tuna has a meaty creamy taste and a mild, tender, juicy, texture. It does not taste or smell fishy and is extremely nutritious. Whether you choose to eat tuna raw or cooked, its meat will remain soft, juicy, and buttery.

RED SNAPPER

Red snapper is a mild, slightly sweet fish with a subtle nutty taste. Its meat is lean and moist with a firm texture, making it a versatile ingredient in cooking. Red snappers don't taste “fishy” compared to many other fish varieties, making them ideal for kids and people who prefer mild-flavored food.

HOGFISH

The Hogfish, commonly called Hognose Snapper, is an amazing fish, that we love to see come in! This fish has a unique appearance with a long snout to dig for mollusks in the sand and retrieve shrimp and crabs from within reefs and stone formations on the ocean floor. With a diet of Shellfish, Mussels and Clams, the natural sweetness of its prey lends to it’s delicate flavor! The Hogfish is definitely a favorite of Mott’s Channel Seafood!

SPECKLED TROUT

The speckled trout is a member of the Drum family. They live in coastal and estuarine waters dining on prey like mullet, menhaden, shrimp and crabs. Sea Trout are beautifully colored with dark spots and a blue tint. Speckled trout are favored across the Southeast for their flavor and texture. Smaller fish are often cooked whole, stuffed with herbs and lemons. Sautée fillets on high heat to achieve a delicious crispy skin.

SPOTS

Spot is generally available whole, dressed, fresh, and occasionally frozen. It has a medium-dense, lean, light meat with a light mild-to-moderate flavor.

WAHOO

Wahoo is mild-tasting, with a firm, lean texture and large, circular flake. Grilled wahoo has been compared to chicken or veal in flavor. Cooking Tips: Although a versatile fish, wahoo benefits from cooking methods suitable for species with low fat content so the meat doesn't dry out when cooking.

BLACK SEAS BASS

The meat of black sea bass is firm but tender. It is a lean fish, so don't expect a greasy mouth feel when you eat it. The flavor is mild but sweet. All of these factors have combined to make it a favorite of restaurant menus.

AFRICAN POMPANO

Its white, finely flaked flesh has a mild sweet flavor. African pompano has a buttery taste which is like mahi-mahi and snapper. So, you can use it in their place to make delicious dishes. The rich flavor makes it great for marinating.

SWORDFISH

A swordfish has a mild sweet taste that makes it extremely delicious. It also lacks a very strong fishy taste. Hence, it is ideal for people who don't like an overpowering fish taste. When you compare it with other fish varieties, you may find that its flavor is slightly stronger than tuna, mahi-mahi, and marlin.

SHEEPSHEAD

The short answer is that the sheepshead taste is actually sweet and delicious with a slight shellfish flavor. The varied diet for this fish makes it not just delicious but also very nutritious. The somewhat flaky and tender flesh is often considered to have a flavor that faintly resembles shellfish when cooked.

HALIBUT

Sources from Nova Scotia

This lean fish has a mild, sweet tasting white flesh, similar to tilapia. It's thicker and firmer than cod. Because the flavor is so gentle, halibut pairs well with bolder seasonings like pesto, lemon juice and basil.

SALMON

Sourced from Norway

Salmon is a mild-flavored fish with a rich and slightly oily taste to it. Baked, grilled, and poached salmon will often taste citrusy and buttery, along with whatever accompanying flavors were added to the dish.

FRESH SHRIMP

We offer locally sourced frozen shrimp when fresh shrimp isn't available. We regularly offer shrimp in medium, large, and jumbo sizes as well as peeled and deveined.

FRESH CRABMEAT

We sell all our crabmeat by the pound. At any time you can find claw meat, backfin, lump, and even cocktail claw.

FRESH SHELLFISH

Our shellfish can range from scallops, mussels, clams, and oysters sold by the pint and dozen in shell. Oysters are typically available from October through March.