Seafood Prices Surge as Lent Begins, Impacting Friday Fish Fries

Rising costs for staples like cod and shrimp challenge churches and community groups hosting traditional Lenten fish fry events.

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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As Christians enter the Lenten season, the tradition of abstaining from meat on Fridays and gathering for church fish fries is taking place against a backdrop of rising prices for seafood staples like cod and shrimp. Seafood pricing is being shaped by a mix of global supply pressures and persistent operating cost increases, with frozen seafood prices jumping 8.4% at grocery stores in December 2025 compared to a year earlier. The impact is especially pronounced for churches, community organizations, and restaurants that buy seafood in bulk for weekly fish fry events during Lent, leading them to get creative with menu planning and pricing to honor tradition while protecting thin margins.

Why it matters

The Lenten season is a major driver of seafood demand each year, with sales typically rising about 10% during this period. However, the current supply and cost challenges in the seafood industry are making it difficult for churches, community groups, and restaurants to maintain affordable pricing for their traditional Friday fish fry events, potentially impacting a longstanding cultural tradition.

The details

Seafood pricing is being shaped by a mix of global supply realities and persistent operating cost pressures, including tight harvest volumes in some fisheries, high energy and labor costs, and refrigerated transportation challenges. On the whitefish side, the supply of Atlantic cod - a Friday fish fry favorite - remains tight, keeping pricing firm. For churches, community organizations, and restaurants that buy seafood in bulk for weekly fish fry events, the impact of these price increases is especially pronounced, forcing them to get creative with menu planning and pricing to honor tradition while protecting thin margins.

  • The Lenten season began in February 2026.
  • Seafood prices jumped 8.4% at grocery stores in December 2025 compared to a year earlier.

The players

Mark Frisch

An executive vice president and co-owner of Florida-based Beaver Street Fisheries, one of the nation's largest seafood importers.

Darin Leonardson

A Texas-based chef and the president and CEO of Transformed Culinary Solutions, who works closely with senior living communities and high-volume food service operations.

Brian Morse

The owner of Country Spice Catering in St. Johns, Michigan, who has seen the price of a 10-pound box of cod more than double over the past year.

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What they’re saying

“Lent is one of the most important seasonal demand drivers of the year for seafood.”

— Mark Frisch, Executive Vice President and Co-Owner, Beaver Street Fisheries

“Seafood pricing is being shaped by a mix of global supply realities and persistent operating costs.”

— Mark Frisch, Executive Vice President and Co-Owner, Beaver Street Fisheries

“Restaurants, churches and community fish fries often feel increases faster than grocery shoppers because they're buying in bulk week after week during peak Fridays.”

— Darin Leonardson, President and CEO, Transformed Culinary Solutions

What’s next

Experts expect seafood demand to remain strong in the coming weeks, even as churches, community groups, and restaurants continue to navigate the challenges of rising seafood prices.

The takeaway

The surge in seafood prices during the Lenten season highlights the delicate balance that many food service operators must strike between honoring longstanding traditions and protecting their already-thin profit margins. As global supply and cost pressures continue to impact the seafood industry, flexibility and creative menu planning will be key for those hosting Friday fish fry events.