There’s something about the limited availability of something that makes it more precious. Spring is full of those moments in the brief bloom of a daffodil or the quickly disappearing vernal pools. We wait for those moments and then enjoy them for as long as we can. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to forage with a friend for fiddleheads, those not-quite-yet tips of ostrich ferns that are only delicious in the brief period before they unfurl. It reminded me that this ephemerality is true of many things that we eat — including seafood, which has a seasonality both in its abundance and in its accessibility.

This weekend marks the beginning of the brief but delicious season for Atlantic halibut in Maine waters. The season lasts a little less than a month, starting on May 18 and ending June 13. This window is made even smaller due to the restrictions on days of harvest — no fishing is allowed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. While halibut can be landed other times of the year in federal waters (those beyond 3 miles from shore), this time period allows for harvesters to catch them closer to shore. This means that smaller boats and even recreational anglers with the proper permit and registration via the Maine Department of Marine Resources are allowed to land halibut but are limited in how many they can land each year and for each boat in addition to the size of the fish.

Atlantic halibut (Hypoglossus hypoglossus) are really weird fish. First, they can change colors with incredible precision to match their habitat. Part of this explains another halibut oddity: the fact that they have two eyes on one side of their body so that they can look up from their habitat on the seafloor. They are one of many species of flatfish that live in the Gulf of Maine and are cousins to the many other similarly flat species otherwise known as sole, plaice or flounder. Several things make halibut pretty different from their cousins — the first being size. They can get to be over 500 pounds! This also means that landing one fish can bring in a high price — and that is one of the reasons that their population was, at one time, overfished. That and the fact that they have a particularly delicate texture and flavor that is unique among groundfish. Additionally, halibut don’t reproduce until they are around 10 years old. So, the population doesn’t exactly replenish itself quickly if too many are harvested. All of this helps to explain the strict restrictions in place on halibut fishing now.

All that aside, halibut are really delicious and, starting on Sunday, you can eat some that are harvested right from Maine waters. There are so many ways to prepare halibut from grilling to poaching to pan searing to baking. There are myriad fancy sauces and accompaniments as well. But I often think simplest is best — sear it and serve it with a lemon, olive oil and fresh herbs. Oh, and maybe a side of fiddleheads, too.

Susan Olcott is the director of strategic partnerships at Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association.