Why a Day Boat Is Worth Waiting For

A day boat is exactly what it sounds like: a small inshore vessel, usually under ten metres, that goes out and comes back within the day. The crew are often a skipper and one or two others, working handlines, pots, nets or a small trawl within a few miles of the coast. What that means for you on the quay is simple — the fish was swimming this morning, was landed this afternoon, and has been on ice for hours rather than days.

That is the whole appeal. Bigger boats may be at sea for a week or more, and fish pass through auctions and distribution before reaching a shop. Day-boat fish skips most of that. You get brill, plaice, mackerel, pollack, gurnard, spider crab or scallops at a stage of freshness that supermarkets rarely manage, and often at a fair price because you are buying close to the source.

Ask What Was Caught, and When

The single most useful thing you can do at the quay is talk to the person who caught it. Good skippers and their crews are usually happy to answer, and the answers tell you plenty.

• What did you catch today? A boat may land several species; the best value is usually whatever came up in good numbers.
• What time did you land? Fish landed this morning and kept properly iced is superb. If it has been sitting in a box since yesterday, ask how it has been stored.
• Where was it caught? Inshore grounds off the headland, a bay a few miles along the coast — this is the local catch you came for.
• What gear was used? Handlined mackerel and pollack arrive in excellent condition because they are handled one at a time.
• Is it legal size? Never buy undersized fish. If it looks borderline, ask. Reputable sellers will not offer it.
• Will you gut it for me? Most will, often for nothing or a small charge, and it saves you a messy job.

Ask these questions cheerfully and without holding up the queue. If there is a queue, wait your turn and let the trade get on with loading.

How to Judge Freshness with Your Own Senses

You do not need to be an expert to spot good fish. Four checks will carry you a long way.

• Eyes. Bright, clear and slightly domed, with a black pupil you can see into. Cloudy, sunken or grey eyes mean it is past its best.
• Flesh. Press the shoulder behind the head with a thumb. It should feel firm and spring back, leaving no dent. Soft, spongy flesh is a warning sign.
• Smell. It should smell of clean sea, wet stone and seaweed. Mackerel have a faint cucumber note when very fresh. Ammonia, sourness or a bleachy tang means walk away.
• Skin and scales. Tight scales, taut skin and a bright sheen. Slime should be clear and watery, not thick, opaque or yellowing.

If the fish is whole and gutted, glance at the belly cavity: it should be clean and pink-red, not brown or gaping. Gills should be a deep, moist red. A stiff, rigid body means the fish is still in rigor, which is a very good sign. Flatfish like plaice and sole should feel solid and heavy for their size.

Timing, Tides and Quay Etiquette

Landing times follow the tide, the weather and the season, so a little homework pays off. Check the harbour noticeboard, ask in the nearby fish shop or simply turn up early and see what is happening. Boats often land in the morning, but some return in the afternoon, and shellfish boats keep their own hours.

Go prepared. A cool bag with ice packs is essential, and cash is still handy on many quays. Wear shoes with grip — slipways and pontoons are wet and slick — and keep well clear of ropes, forklifts and trailers. Do not park on the slipway or block the ice house. If a boat is mid-unload, wait until the boxes are ashore before asking questions.

Respect the weather too. After a run of gales, the inshore fleet may not have been out for days, and an empty quay is not a snub. Come back when the sea settles.

Buying Well and Cooking It Simply

Whole fish keeps better than fillets and lets you see exactly what you are getting, so buy whole where you can. Ask for it gutted and, if you like, filleted on the spot. Take the frame, head and trimmings home too — they make excellent stock, soup or fish pie base, and many crews are glad to see them used rather than binned.

At home, keep the fish between 0°C and 4°C on ice, in the coldest part of the fridge, and drain off meltwater so it does not sit in liquid. Pat it dry before cooking. Eat it within a day or two, and only freeze it if you must — freezing is fine, but it loses the very quality you came to the quay for.

Then keep it simple. Mackerel, split and grilled or barbecued within hours of landing, is one of the great British coastal pleasures. Gurnard and pollack take well to flour, butter and capers. Plaice fried in a little clarified butter needs nothing more than lemon and parsley. Buy seasonally, buy from the boats that are actually working, and you will eat better than any restaurant on the seafront.