The annual moratorium runs from 1 May to 16 August across the South China Sea. For buyers sourcing wild-caught product this is the tightest stretch of the year: supply thins out, prices firm up, and allocations are decided months in advance.
Farming does not follow that calendar. Our fish are in the cages year-round, fed and graded on their own schedule, so a June harvest looks very much like an October harvest.
That difference matters most when it is least convenient, which is exactly when a steady supplier earns its place on your vendor list.