Seafood prices rising due to colder-than-usual winter

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- This might throw a wrench in your Friday night fish fry. Seafood prices are on the rise, and certain kinds could double.

"Lot of fish available but the high quality fish that we want is what we've been struggling to get, " said Andy Byrne, the manager and buyer of Empire Fish. Byrne says the store is struggling to buy tuna and salmon for its customers.

"They fish actually through the ice but high winds and stuff fishermen won't be able to catch anything," said Byrne, explaining to Fox 6 that the unseasonably colder weather in the Great Lakes Region and out east are big contributors for low supplies.

"Lobsters aren't moving around fishermen don't want to spend four dollars a gallon to go out and hope they can catch something," added Byrne. Around this time last year, lobster was selling at his store for as low as $10. Next week, that price could double.

Meanwhile, Fox 6 stopped by Serb Hall's Friday night fish fry.

"Let me tell you some people eat a lot of haddock and we're glad they do and they enjoy it, " said Bob Milkovich, who says Serb Hall has not experienced low supplies of fish, and he has not raised prices in more than a year. Serb Hall buys its fish elsewhere.

"We need in fact we placed our orders already for Good Friday," added Milkovich. "We're known for Icelandic Cod we serve perch haduc we have no problem shortage of fish."

Byrne does have advice for people anticipating buying seafood this weekend and leading up to Easter. He says ask many questions at the market, specifically, when the store bought the seafood, and where it's from.