Members of the seabass family, grouper is a popular menu item, available year-round with peak months from April-Oct. High in protein and low in fat, grouper flesh is firm and white with a large flake. Black grouper has firm, sweet flesh that tastes of lobster and shrimp because of its shellfish diet.

One of South Florida’s menu favorites, stone crabs live in both Atlantic and Gulf waters. Their ability to regenerate their huge claws makes this seafood especially sustainable; fishermen remove one or both claws and return the live crab to the water so it can grow its lost limbs again. Crab claws are cooked in boiling water immediately after harvest, then sold fresh or frozen. Stone crab season in Oct. 15 through mid-May.

This Florida crustacean may not have claws like its Maine counterpart, but its sweet, low-fat meat found in the tails is popular on grills during the summer. Most of the state’s commercial harvest comes from Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. During the two-day mini-season, the last Wed. and Thurs. of July, lobster hunters get their chance to catch them before the regular lobster season begins, Aug. 6-Mar. 31.

Pink shrimp are sweet and tender, typically caught in South Florida and Gulf waters. The season is March through May, and October through December. White shrimp (Oct.-Dec.), mild and tender, are primarily caught on the Atlantic coast.  Brown shrimp (June-Aug.) are found in deeper waters. Rock shrimp (Aug.-Oct.) have hard shells and sweet flesh that tastes somewhat like lobster.