The name is Bobby's Fresh Fish Market not 'frozen” fish market.

So says Bobby Palmer, boss of one of the city's most popular eateries. And consequently when there's no fresh fish, they close up shop.

The Fish Market on Dive Crescent is closed today due to there being no fish. File photo.

The sign outside the Dive Crescent business said it all this morning, as it has for the previous two days. 'Closed due to no fresh fish, sorry.”

Blame the weather.

Normally the place is buzzing at lunchtime, the vats fired up and orders for arguably the best fish and chips in Tauranga being yelled around. Today nothing. It was closed and silent.

The Dive Crescent shop's closed for the third day, the company's equally popular Greerton shops been closed two days and Papamoa was also closed today.

'No-one in the South Island has got fish and no-one in the North Island has got fish,” says Bobby Palmer. 'The weather's been rough for a fortnight.”

He says Sanford Seafood had a bit unloading yesterday – 'we were offered a bit but not enough to open”. All those chips and no fish. Not since 3pm on Sunday.

However, Bobby has vowed to have the three shops open tomorrow. He has fresh fish arriving from Greymouth, Wellington and New Plymouth first thing tomorrow morning.

'It's winter,” explains Bobby. 'So these things will happen. It gives us a chance to do some maintenance, spruce up the shops.”