King Salmon, "Ivory King Salmon and Coho Salmon

King Salmon "Ivory" King Salmon and Coho Salmon

We provide troll-caught wild king (like that above) and coho salmon (pictured below) taken primarily from Southeast Alaska, but also from Washington state and northern California (see the harvest area map below). Troll-caught king salmon fillet

Pictured at right is a king salmon fillet. Troll-caught salmon (kings and cohos) are generally considered the highest quality salmon for two reasons: (1) they are caught one-at-a-time and meticulously handled, and (2) they are taken far offshore while still in peak condition, like that pictured above (a king caught off Seward, Alaska).

Our king salmon include both "Red" and "Ivory" kings. "Ivory" kings, whose flesh is white (as pictured below), are relatively scarce. In Alaska, they occur only in Southeast where they make up just 5-8% of the catch of kings.

Our salmon are individually caught by trollers like that pictured below and here. These are small-boat fishermen (often the boat's crew consists of the entire family). The fish are taken well offshore (using flashers) while they are still in peak condition and flavorful best. They are carefully handled to avoid bruising and are immediately bled (which extends shelf life), eviscerated, washed and carefully covered with shaved ice to preserve their superb flavor and unmatched quality. Troll-caught Alaskan salmon are delivered to our chefs within 2 to 3 days of capture, so they are very fresh. During the summer months, most of our salmon (and halibut and sablefish) are obtained from the Seafood Producers Cooperative. All of Alaska's salmon fisheries (and its halibut and sablefish fisheries) have been certified as "sustainable" by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). In the fall, we depend on king and coho salmon headed for spawning in rivers of Washington state's Olympic Peninsula which flow into the Pacific Ocean.
RECIPES
Visit the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute website and select "Salmon"

For illustrated instructions on how to properly fillet a salmon, visit Salmon University.

Map showing the primary harvest areas of king and coho salmon worked by trollers - image courtesy Seafood Producers Cooperative Salmon troller - image courtesy Seafood Producers Cooperative

(Images courtesy Seafood Producers Cooperative)

"Ivory" King Salmon, Too

ivory king salmon fillet processing king salmon at the SPC plant in Sitka, Alaska

We provide both "Red" and "Ivory" king salmon from March through October. Both kings look the same from the outside, as shown above. However, as shown to the right, the Ivory King has luminous white flesh, that many consider superior in taste to the "red" kings. Ivories are native to certain rivers of southeast Alaska, Canada and Washington state. Most salmon get their typical red or pink color from carotene in the food they eat (crustaceans such as shrimp and krill), but white or "Ivory" kings are genetically predisposed with an extra enzyme to process carotene rather than collect it. Ivory king salmon tends to be milder, silkier and more buttery in flavor than "red" kings. While the "Ivories" are difficult to obtain, we believe they are worth the effort.

Coho Salmon

coho salmon, ocean stage (top) and spawning stage coloratiuon of male (middle) and female (bottom) with juvenile pictured below coho or silver salmon

Our Alaskan coho salmon (pictured above and to the right) are also troll-caught far at sea while they are still in peak condition. Once Pacific salmon enter freshwater in order to spawn their muscle tissue begins to degrade (they all die following spawning) and their skin coloration changes dramatically from silver to much darker patterns (both male and female near spawning condition are shown above). As their muscle degrades, it progressively losses quality.

Because troll-caught salmon are caught at sea and before their bodies begin this transformation, they are of better quality than salmon caught inshore by other methods. This is because of where and how they are caught as well as how they are handled (very carefully) from that point onward.

In contrast, lesser quality salmon are available from purse seine and gillnet fisheries. They are caught inshore and in the rivers and their muscle tissue has already started to degrade. In contrast, the king and coho salmon caught by trollers are called "sea-brites" because they are still bright silver. More importantly, the salmon harvested by traditional purse seines are taken in large numbers. They are pumped or dumped into fishing boats' or tenders' holds where they thrash into each other (causing damaging bruises) and where needed chilling is slowed. In contrast, trollers catch and carefully handle their salmon one-at-a-time. The main problem with some gillnet fisheries is the fish are often not removed while still alive and they may have died hours before the net is cleared. For these reasons, salmon taken by trollers are considered to be the highest quality salmon.

Healthy Food - Pure and Natural

Wild salmon is not only delicious, it is also ranked as the best source of Omega-3 fatty acids. These "good" cholesterols significantly reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, a leading cause of death. See our Health Benefits page (below) for details. Seafood is recognized as the healthiest source of low fat protein, and salmon, halibut and sablefish are among the best. For information on the nutritional value of wild Alaska seafood and its proper handling, visit the website of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

Smoked King Salmon

Yukon River kings are the richest because they contain the highest oil content (providing the extra energy needed to reach their spawning areas some of which are 2,000 miles up-river). In some years we can provide hot and cold-smoked Yukon River King salmon and Yukon River Fall Chum Salmon.