Is it safe to eat oysters in months without an R?

Yes, from reputable, inspected sources. The old rule dates from before refrigeration. Summer oysters can be softer because they spawn, and warm-water bacteria are more common, so people at higher risk should avoid raw oysters year-round.

When is lobster cheapest?

Usually late summer, when New England catches are largest.

Is frozen seafood as good as fresh?

Often better. Seafood frozen at sea or right after harvest keeps its quality, while fresh fish may be several days old by the time it reaches the counter.

Seafood Seasons: What's Best When

Most seafood is sold year-round, often frozen, but each fish and shellfish has a season when it is at its best, most plentiful and least expensive. Here is when to look for each, from New England lobster and oysters to Gulf shrimp and wild salmon.

Seafood	Best season	Notes
Lobster (New England)	Summer through fall, roughly June to November	Soft-shell (newly molted) lobsters in summer are sweet and easy to crack; hard-shell lobsters in late fall are meatier. Prices are usually lowest in late summer. Try: Broiled Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter, Connecticut Lobster Roll (Warm with Butter), New England Clambake (Stovetop).
Oysters	Best September through April (the "R months")	Cold water keeps oysters firm and briny. Summer oysters are safe from reputable sources, but they spawn and can be soft, and warm-water bacteria such as Vibrio are more common. Try: How to Shuck and Serve Raw Oysters, Oysters Rockefeller, Grilled Oysters with Garlic Butter.
Bay scallops (Nantucket and Cape Cod)	November through March	Tiny, sweet and prized. Sea scallops are harvested year-round. Try: Pan-Seared Sea Scallops with Lemon Butter, Baked Scallops with Ritz Crumbs.
Soft-shell crabs	May through September, peak in May and June	Blue crabs caught right after molting, eaten shell and all. Try: Crab Cakes with Lemon Remoulade.
Blue crabs (Chesapeake)	April through December, best late summer and fall	Heavy, full crabs come in the fall. Try: Crab Cakes with Lemon Remoulade, Crab By Gosh or By Golly.
Dungeness crab (West Coast)	Winter through spring, roughly December to June	Openers vary by state each year. Try: Steamed Crab Legs with Garlic Butter.
Stone crab claws (Florida)	October 15 to May 1	Only the claws are harvested, and the crab is returned to the water.
Wild Alaska salmon	May through September	Copper River salmon opens the season in May. Frozen wild salmon is excellent the rest of the year. Try: Lemon Herb Baked Salmon, Gravlax with Mustard-Dill Sauce, Teriyaki Salmon.
Pacific halibut	March through November	Fresh halibut is a spring and summer treat. Try: Grilled Halibut in Cream Sauce.
Gulf shrimp	Brown shrimp in early summer, white shrimp late summer into winter	Seasons open and close by state. Frozen-at-sea shrimp is often fresher than "fresh" thawed shrimp. Try: Baked Shrimp with Garlic Parmesan Crumbs, Shrimp and Grits, Shrimp Scampi and Pasta.
Crawfish (Louisiana)	January through June, peak in spring	Crawfish boils are a spring tradition.
Smelts	Winter	A Christmas Eve favorite in many Italian-American homes. Try: Fried Smelts.
Clams and mussels	Year-round; best fall through spring	Cooler months mean fuller shellfish. Buy only tightly closed shells. Try: Steamers (Steamed Clams), Linguine with Clams (Linguine alle Vongole), Moules Frites (Mussels and Fries).
Cod, haddock and pollock	Year-round	Widely available fresh or frozen. Try: Fish Tacos with Lime Cabbage Slaw, New England Fish Chowder.

Seasons shift with weather and with fishing rules, which vary by state and year, so ask your fishmonger what is freshest this week. Good frozen seafood, frozen at sea or right after harvest, can be better than "fresh" fish that has traveled for days.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to eat oysters in months without an R?: Yes, from reputable, inspected sources. The old rule dates from before refrigeration. Summer oysters can be softer because they spawn, and warm-water bacteria are more common, so people at higher risk should avoid raw oysters year-round.
When is lobster cheapest?: Usually late summer, when New England catches are largest.
Is frozen seafood as good as fresh?: Often better. Seafood frozen at sea or right after harvest keeps its quality, while fresh fish may be several days old by the time it reaches the counter.