Our friends over at Intrafish clued us into a recent piece in National Geographic touting the benefits of frozen seafood. We want to share that piece with you, along with some of our current icy favorites…

Here’s what’ NatGeo had to say:

Reduce your environmental impact. Fresh fish has to be shipped by air to reach most consumers; frozen can be freighted by ship, rail, or truck with significantly lower environmental impact.

Keep fishermen safer. Without the urgent pressure to deliver fresh fish immediately, fishermen can have a safer time line in which to bring their catch from sea to table. They also can choose to fish only in the best conditions.

Reduce waste in processing. By freezing fish at sea, fishermen can use economies of scale to consolidate processing, adding value with volume to the total utilization of the fish.

Use only what you need. By pulling from the freezer exactly the amount you need—when you need it—you avoid wasting highly perishable fresh fish.

Get the best seafood year-round. Taste and nutrition are locked in when fish is frozen at sea, and you’re never restricted to just what’s available fresh today.

And, with those great reasons in mind, here’s some of our current favorite frozen picks:

Individually quick frozen dry pack Hokkaido scallops are perfect for a variety of dishes and a great way to get some scallops on the menu at a good price. These are high quality, dry pack scallops from Japan; 20/30 count, packed in 10 lb. cases (2/5 lb. bags). Thaw what you need, super convenient.

Frozen Australis Barramundi fillets – this fish just continues to grow in popularity, and these convenient fillets come in at a great price. Versatile, ready to use and delicious!

Looking for a local seafood option? Why not try some California Calamari! That’s right – order a 30 lb. case of squid tubes/tentacles caught and processed in Southern California. Tender, delicious and chemical free.

Just in time for Mardi Gras we also have a great farmed shrimp option from Mexico – 16/20 count IQF shrimp (4/5 lb bags in a case). Perfect for shrimp po’ boys or a tasty étouffée!

Another convenient, inventory friendly item we’re loving right now – IQF snow crab legs – these are single legs cut from 5/8 oz. clusters. Comes to you in a 10 lb. case (better order two)!

Call your Santa Monica Seafood Representative today and get some of these smart frozen options rolling your way before lent begins!