With salmon prices also high, the buying specialist has urged operators to use other species to vary menus and specials boards this spring and summer will benefit from better quality and value from suppliers.
Rachel Dobson, managing director of Lynx Purchasing, said: “Over the past few years sea bass has moved from being a special to a regular dish on many menus, and we’re now seeing it offered all year around by many operators in the branded pub and casual dining sector.
“That inevitably has an impact. Most sea bass on menus is farmed, and our suppliers are now getting smaller fish from the main producers in Turkey and Greece. That can affect margins, because it may take two fillets instead of one to make a main course, and in the longer term those smaller fish never have the chance to grow to maturity.
“The appeal of sea bass to chefs is that it has a delicate flavour that works very well with sauces and accompaniments, but there are other fish that fit the bill. Both pollack and cod are forecast to be in good supply, while flat fish including brill, dabs, Dover sole, megrim and witch should also at their best quality this spring.
“Salmon is another menu staple, and Norwegian salmon prices hit a 30-year high at the start of this year after Russia relaxed its import ban.
“With both species. it’s harder for the branded operators to switch quickly, so independents can get an advantage this spring and summer by working with suppliers to keep menu flexible and get the best quality and prices.”
The advice to make the switch from sea bass comes in the newly-published Spring 2016 edition of the Lynx Purchasing Market Forecast. The forecast also sounds a warning note on the impact of the UK’s unpredictable weather patterns on produce this spring.