Today, our oceans contain an abundance of delicious, underutilized, and lesser-known varieties of fish. Frequently, these unfamiliar species are pulled up when commercial fishermen are looking for something else. These nontargeted species—known as bycatch—are often dumped back into the ocean, dead or barely alive.

What if we didn’t discard those perfectly edible fish? What if we introduced them to consumers looking for a change on the menu who care about where their seafood comes from? That’s what Sea Robbins, Triggerfish, & other Overlooked Seafood is all about—taking the pressure off heavily targeted species like swordfish and tuna and introducing home cooks and professional chefs to many new species being unloaded on today’s docks.

Let’s celebrate these other fish in the sea by enjoying a bounty of mouthwatering recipes prepared by Chef Matthew Pietsch, owner of the celebrated Michigan restaurant Salt of the Earth. Pietsch’s vast culinary knowledge and skill demonstrated through his fun, straightforward approach, will guide seafood lovers every step of the way as he and James Beard award winner James O. Fraioli encourage seafood consumers to support and promote those underutilized and underappreciated fisheries while still enjoying quality seafood at an affordable price.

Foreword by: Fabien Cousteau