Fish from the Paraíba coast: the most common species and preparations

Mutton snapper, yellow croaker, mackerel and dolphinfish are among the most sold and served fish in the capital.

The Paraíba coast supplies tables and markets with a variety of seafood, and recent surveys show which species appear most often. In a February 2026 report on the Mercado do Peixe de Tambaú, vendors named mutton snapper (cioba), mackerel, dolphinfish (dourado), grouper, almaco jack (arabaiana) and yellow croaker as the most sought after. The João Pessoa city government, which runs the market, also highlighted shrimp and other seafood in its promotion of the market.

During the 2024 Seafood Week, at the Family Farming Trading Center (Cecaf), tilapia and yellow croaker were the most sought after, according to ParaibaOnline. Mackerel, anchovy, white croaker, snook and meca were also on hand at the event. Meanwhile, a Procon-JP survey ahead of Holy Week 2025 compared prices for mackerel, patola, cod and salmon at 28 fish shops in public markets and supermarkets. Mackerel had a variation of 276.77% between the lowest and highest price, from R$ 12.74 to R$ 48 per kilo.

As for preparations, the Procon-JP survey of waterfront kiosks, released in February 2026, compared prices for fried fish with fries, fish stew and codfish fritters, items common at the stalls. Whole fried fish, served with fries, was found priced between R$ 90 and R$ 199.90, depending on the kiosk, showing the wide gap in prices between establishments.

For the consumer, it's worth asking the vendor which species is available that day and whether the product is fresh. At the Mercado de Tambaú, a vendor interviewed for the 2026 report said he sells only fresh fish, from catches made 7 to 8 days at sea. Supply changes according to the season and demand, which rises during Holy Week.