2021 Harvest Log
What's in My Box?
2022 monthly subscription box contents are available here >
Below you'll find a log of our monthly seafood deliveries for each share subscription.
Select a share from the tabs below:
Premium Sitka Seafood Share
Projected Harvest
Wild N. Pacific Albacore Tuna
- ~6-16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, boneless
- Caught using low-impact hook-and-line fishing gear off the coasts of Oregon and Washington
- Frozen on the fishing boat and cut while frozen (for maximum quality) at our trusted partner facility in Bellingham, Washington
Wild Alaska Spot Shrimp
- Also known as "spot prawns"
- 1lb packages, frozen, ice-glazed, head-off, shell on
- Caught using low-impact shrimp pots in Southeast Alaska
- Frozen on the fishing boat, at our company-owned facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by our trusted partner facility in Southeast Alaska
Wild Alaska Halibut
- ~6-12oz portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, boneless
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line fishing jig and longline fishing gear in Southeast Alaska and near Kodiak, Alaska
- Filletted and frozen at our company-owned facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by our trusted partner facilities in Kodiak or Southeast Alaska
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Pacific cod
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line longline or jig gear, or in pots in Southeast Alaska, in Kodiak, Alaska, and in the Bering Sea
- Filleted by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Wild Alaska Sablefish
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones out
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line longline or pot fishing gear in Southeast Alaska
- Filleted at our company-owned processing facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Coho Salmon
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll fishing gear near Sitka, Alaska, or near Haines, Alaska
- Filleted at our company-owned processing facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Wild Alaska King Salmon
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll fishing gear near Sitka, Alaska
- Filleted at our company-owned processing facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon
- ~4.5 pounds in ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact gillnet fishing gear in Alaska’s Prince William Sound and Bristol Bay
- Filleted by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Member Newsletter
How do Alaskans prepare for winter? Find the answer to that question and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska coho salmon (~6-12 -ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin bones in — find more info on pin bone removal below) caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll fishing gear and delivered to Sitka where we fillet the salmon at our company-owned processing facility.
There are thousands of rivers and streams where coho salmon return every year throughout Southeast Alaska. Trollers fish the outer coast of Southeast Alaska in order to catch coho during their migrations to these inland waterways. Also known as silver salmon, coho have a mild flavor with medium fat content, moderate texture and firmness, and a normal-sized flake. We love to use low to medium heat for uniform cooking all the way through, or give them a quick sear over medium-high heat for crisp skin and a soft center. Cook your coho until it flakes slightly when poked. Be careful to remove pin bones before cooking or slicing!
Wild Alaska king salmon (~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in) Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll fishing gear and low-impact gillnet fishing gear. Delivered to Sitka where we fillet the salmon at our company-owned processing facility.
A prize of our wild Alaska waters, king salmon are the largest of the five commercially harvested salmon in Alaska. They’re also the richest of wild Alaska salmon — king salmon have high levels of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA. King salmon can be prepared simply, and their richness means it’s more difficult to overcook. Zingy, mustardy, or lemony sauces pair beautifully, and king are also sublime when quickly seared with nothing more than olive oil, salt, pepper. Be careful to remove pin bones before cooking or slicing!
Smoked wild Alaska salmon (~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in) coho from our Sitka fleet and processing facility and/or sockeye salmon from our trusted partner in Bristol Bay that was expertly hot smoked by Green Bay, Wisconsin-based Bearcats.
A Note on Pin Bones
Why do we leave the salmon pin bones in? Read more about how to easily remove pin bones and why they are a sign of premium quality fish.
Know Your Fishermen
Featured August Fishermen:
Emerald Isle Seafoods: Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale
Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high-volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Joe Daniels, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
A second generation fisherman, Joe spent his childhood years in Pelican, Alaska, where his father fished for many years. Joe began “working” on his father’s boat as a toddler, learning the ins and outs of fishing over the course of his youth. With the passage of time, Joe has remained intrigued by the craft and art of catching salmon. His relationship with Salmon Shares is intricately tied to the principles that drive his work. “I go above and beyond to harvest and process my fish in a manner that presents exceptional quality,” he says. “I want to sell my fish to people who understand this and appreciate it.”
Drew Terhaar, F/V Audacious, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
As part of the Salmon Shares fleet, Drew enjoys knowing that not only is he part of a larger picture of environmental stewardship and sustainable management, but he’s also working to put healthy, high quality food into the hands of our members.
Learn more about Sitka Salmon Shares fishermen-owners and our trusted partners.
Recipes
Browse our recipes for ideas and inspiration for your next great seafood meal. Your share will also come with recipes curated by our Culinary Team for how to prepare the seafood in each month’s share.
Need more seafood cooking tips or want to share your favorite seafood recipes? Email culinary@sitkasalmonshares.com. We’d love to hear from you!
<Member Newsletter
Salmon season is upon us. Read about the Alaska salmon run and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Your July Premium Sitka Seafood Share is projected to include 4.5 to 5 pounds of:
Wild Alaska halibut (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught by longline in Gulf of Alaska waters and filleted by our Sitka plant team and at trusted partner facilities.
Halibut’s mild flavor, beautiful bright white and medium-firm dense flesh with large flakes make it a favorite for Alaska fish fries. Walk the streets of an Alaskan coastal town and chances are you’ll be enticed into a simple basket of fried halibut. However you prefer your halibut, know that it’s very lean — be careful to not overcook this mighty white fish! In a hurry for dinner? This 20-minute Thai Green Fish Curry made with halibut is the answer.
Wild Alaska sablefish (black cod)* (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and boneless) caught by longline and pots in the Gulf of Alaska, and filleted by our Sitka plant team and at trusted partner facilities.
Sablefish has a mild buttery-sweet flavor and a medium-firm texture with large flakes. It’s also rather rich, with a higher fat content than other white fish — heart-healthy fats, that is! Sablefish is absolutely mouthwatering when sautéed with crispy skin and served with bright, acidic sauces like chimichurri, citrusy pan sauces, vinaigrettes, capers, and lemon. Try this recipe for Nobu-style Sablefish Rice Bowl with Quick Pickles based on a wildly popular preparation from Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa. It may leave you questioning whether you ever need to eat out at a restaurant again. Proceed at your own risk!
*Note: About 1 in 100 sablefish have a characteristic known as “jelly belly.” As a result, a sablefish with jelly belly will disintegrate while cooking. It poses no health risk to consume it, however it is not considered edible due to how mushy the fish will become upon cooking. We realize it is a bummer when this happens and can throw a wrench in dinner plans! Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to detect “jelly belly” when we fillet and inspect the fish. If you get a piece of sablefish like this, please call us at 309-342-FISH (3474) or email us at salmonsupport@sitkasalmonshares.com and we will replace your fish right away.
Know Your Fishermen
Featured July Fishermen and Partners:
Joe Daniels, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
A second generation fisherman, Joe spent his childhood years in Pelican, Alaska, where his father fished for many years. Joe began “working” on his father’s boat as a toddler, learning the ins-and-outs of fishing over the course of his youth. With the passage of time, Joe has remained intrigued by the craft and art of catching salmon. His relationship with Salmon Shares is intricately tied to the principles that drive his work. “I go above and beyond to harvest and process my fish in a manner that presents exceptional quality. I want to sell my fish to people who understand this and appreciate it.”
Drew Terhaar, F/V Audacious, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
As part of the Salmon Shares fleet, Drew enjoys knowing that not only is he part of a larger picture of environmental stewardship and sustainable management, but he’s also working to put healthy, high quality food into the hands of our members.
Glenn Crocetti, F/V Marantha
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Kodiak, Alaska
Glenn grew up on dairy farms on the East Coast and started fishing in New England around the age of 19. He came to Alaska at the age of 21 and continues to live there with his wife and two kids (with another on the way). Glen enjoys rockfish tacos with cilantro and lime, a good hot salsa, and cabbage. He says that when combined with some beers, it’s a recipe for a good time with friends. Glenn caught your rockfish using “jig” gear, which is an artisan, hook-and-line, low-impact fishing method highly conducive to quality fish.
Emerald Isle Seafoods: Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family, and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Haines Packing Co.
Trusted Partner in Southeast Alaska
Established in 1917, Haines Packing Co. is the longest continually running seafood processor in Southeast Alaska and has been family-run for generations. We work with Haines Packing to provide our members with Dungeness crab as well as salmon from the side-by-side Chilkat and Chilkoot watersheds, which produce the largest runs of sockeye in Southeast Alaska and also support coho and keta runs.
Member Newsletter
There is no denying the seas are getting choppy in the commercial fishing industry. When Sitka Salmon Shares launched 11 years ago, we started with a simple mission: Connect small-scale fishermen to a few folks in the Midwest who were hungry for a transparent supply chain and really good fish. We have been overjoyed with the growth in our community. It has allowed us to bring more small-boat fishermen into our fleet and reward them for the care and attention they give to every fish. Read about our resiliency over the years and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Your June Premium Sitka Seafood Share is projected to include 4.5 to 5 pounds of:
Wild Alaska halibut (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught by longline in Gulf of Alaska waters and filleted by our Sitka plant team and at trusted partner facilities.
Halibut’s mild flavor, beautiful bright white and medium-firm dense flesh with large flakes make it a favorite for Alaska fish fries. Walk the streets of an Alaskan coastal town and chances are you’ll be enticed into a simple basket of fried halibut. However you prefer your halibut, know that it’s very lean — be careful to not overcook this mighty white fish! In a hurry for dinner? This 20-minute Thai Green Fish Curry made with halibut is the answer.
Wild Alaska sablefish (black cod)* (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and boneless) caught by longline and pots in the Gulf of Alaska, and filleted by our Sitka plant team and at trusted partner facilities.
Sablefish has a mild buttery-sweet flavor and a medium-firm texture with large flakes. It’s also rather rich, with a higher fat content than other white fish — heart-healthy fats, that is! Sablefish is absolutely mouthwatering when sautéed with crispy skin and served with bright, acidic sauces like chimichurri, citrusy pan sauces, vinaigrettes, capers, and lemon. Try this recipe for Nobu-style Sablefish (Black Cod) Rice Bowl with Quick Pickles based on a wildly popular preparation from Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa. It may leave you questioning whether you ever need to eat out at a restaurant again. Proceed at your own risk!
Wild Alaska Pacific cod (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught in the waters of the Gulf of Alaska with hook-and-line “jig” and longline gear and pots.
Delicate and flaky, Pacific cod is wonderful fried, sautéed, baked, or broiled. We love our Pacific cod sautéed and served with pan sauces, battered or breaded and fried for fish and chips, fish sandwiches, or Baja-style tacos, or simply baked with vegetables for sheet-pan suppers. Like halibut, Pacific cod is lean, so be careful not to overcook. A generous pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil goes a long way with this fish.
*Note: About 1 in 100 sablefish have a characteristic known as “jelly belly.” As a result, a sablefish with jelly belly will disintegrate while cooking. It poses no health risk to consume it, however it is not considered edible due to how mushy the fish will become upon cooking. We realize it is a bummer when this happens and can throw a wrench in dinner plans! Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to detect “jelly belly” when we fillet and inspect the fish. If you get a piece of sablefish like this, please call us at 309-342-FISH (3474) or email us at salmonsupport@sitkasalmonshares.com and we will replace your fish right away.
Know Your Fishermen
Featured June Fishermen and Partners:
Stu Weathers, F/V El Tiburon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Stu started fishing for halibut and sablefish alongside his stepfather back when he was in high school. When, at the age of 25, he decided he was ready to begin captaining his own boat, Stu’s stepfather sold him the 53-foot-long F/V El Tiburon. “I can’t think of a better way to make a living than catching fish with your buddies,” he says. As a fisherman, Stu goes the extra mile to ensure that he’s bringing in the best fish possible — a standard that he says is maintained by Sitka Salmon Shares. “When you work with large processors, they might give you a pat on the back,” he says, “but they don’t always take the best care of your fish once they’re in their hands.” Sitka Salmon Shares’ commitment to quality matches his own.
Brett Zaenglein, F/V Ida Lee, F/V Gretchen
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Brett is a long-time Sitka resident with roots in the Midwest and the Southwest. Now with nearly three decades as a fisherman, Brett brings experience and wisdom to our fleet. His focus on quality and care for the fish aligns with ours perfectly. “I enjoy eating and making good quality food because of the garbage we are so often fed,” he says. “I mean, we are over 7 billion on this planet, so there is a need for some commercial farming, but what are the costs? What is the actual cost of the health problems, the sterilization of the soils, the killing off of the bees? There is value to feeding ourselves better. It may cost us more up front for that wild salmon, but look at the health benefits, the brain power, and the quality of life in the long run.”
Mark & Dawn Young, F/V Bella Dawn
Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Sitka, Alaska
For Mark and Dawn, catching fish has been a family affair. The couple have been navigating the waters of Southeast Alaska together since the 1980s and their daughters grew up fishing with them on their vessel the F/V Bella Dawn. We’re proud to count them among our Sitka Salmon Shares fishing fleet family. Get to know them in their Boat Deck Cookin’ video!
Glenn Crocetti, F/V Marantha
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Kodiak, Alaska
Glenn grew up on dairy farms on the East Coast and started fishing in New England around the age of 19. He came to Alaska at the age of 21 and continues to live there with his wife and two kids (with another on the way). Glen enjoys rockfish tacos with cilantro and lime, a good hot salsa, and cabbage. He says that when combined with some beers, it’s a recipe for a good time with friends. Glenn caught your rockfish using “jig” gear, which is an artisan, hook-and-line, low-impact fishing method highly conducive to quality fish.
Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale
Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family, and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Copper River Seafoods
Trusted Partner in Southcentral Alaska
Copper River Seafoods was founded by four Alaskan fishermen in 1996. With processing plants located in Cordova, Anchorage, Naknek (Bristol Bay), Kenai, Togiak, and Kotzebue, the company is recognized today as a premier producer of high quality Alaska seafood with a deep commitment to the state of Alaska.
Member Newsletter
This past year we have all benefited from invisible labor. Our economy would screech to a halt without the service workers who deliver our mail, meals, and medicine. Tendermen hold a similar crucial, invisible yet life improving role for our fishing fleet. Our tendermen play a critical role in our fleet, but their names don’t appear on your fillets of fish or pouches of crab. This month, we’d like to share their story with you, our members. Read about our tendermen and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Your May Premium Sitka Seafood Share is projected to include 4.5 to 5 pounds of:
Alaska Sablefish (black cod)* (~8- to 16-ounce portions, blast-frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and deboned with a center cut) caught in pots or by longline and filleted at our Sitka plant or by our trusted partners at Copper River Seafoods.
Sablefish has a mild buttery-sweet flavor and a medium-firm texture with large flakes. It’s also rather rich, with a higher fat content than other white fish — the good, heart healthy fats, so don’t let the richness scare you! Sablefish is absolutely mouthwatering when sautéed with crispy skin and served with bright, acidic sauces like chimichurri, citrusy pan sauces, vinaigrettes, capers, and lemon.
Alaska Pacific cod (~8 to 16-ounce portions, blast-frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught with hook-and-line “jig” gear. Delicate and flaky, Pacific cod is wonderful fried, sautéed, baked, or broiled. We love our Pacific cod sautéed and served with pan sauces, battered or breaded and fried for fish and chips, fish sandwiches, or Baja-style tacos, or simply baked with vegetables for sheet-pan suppers. Like halibut, Pacific cod is lean, so be careful not to overcook! A generous pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil goes a long way toward a perfect piece of flaky Pacific cod goodness.
*Note: About 1 in 100 sablefish have a characteristic known as “jelly belly.” These fish lack an enzyme that makes their meat hold up to the heat of cooking. As a result, a sablefish with jelly belly will disintegrate while cooking. It poses no health risk to consume it, however it is likely not considered edible due to how mushy the fish will become upon cooking. We realize it is a bummer when this happens and can throw a wrench in dinner plans! Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to detect “jelly belly” when we fillet and inspect the fish. If you get a piece of sablefish like this, please call us at 309-342-FISH (3474) or email us at salmonsupport@sitkasalmonshares.com and we will replace your fish right away.
Know Your Fishermen
Stu Weathers, F/V El Tiburon - Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Stu started fishing for halibut and sablefish alongside his stepfather back when he was in high school. When, at the age of 25, he decided he was ready to begin captaining his own boat, Stu’s stepfather sold him the 53-foot-long F/V El Tiburon. “I can’t think of a better way to make a living than catching fish with your buddies,” he says. As a fisherman, Stu goes the extra mile to ensure that he’s bringing in the best fish possible — a standard that he says is maintained by Sitka Salmon Shares. “When you work with large processors, they might give you a pat on the back,” he says, “but they don’t always take the best care of your fish once they’re in their hands.” Sitka Salmon Shares’ commitment to quality matches his own.
Brett Zaenglein, F/V Ida Lee - Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Brett is a long-time Sitka resident with roots in the Midwest and the Southwest. Now with nearly three decades as a fisherman, Brett brings experience and wisdom to our fleet. His focus on quality and care for the fish aligns with ours perfectly. “I enjoy eating and making good quality food because of the garbage we are so often fed,” he says. “I mean, we are over 7 billion on this planet, so there is a need for some commercial farming, but what are the costs? What is the actual cost of the health problems, the sterilization of the soils, the killing off of the bees? There is value to feeding ourselves better. It may cost us more up front for that wild salmon, but look at the health benefits, the brain power, and the quality of life in the long run.”
Mark & Dawn Young, F/V Bella Dawn - Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Sitka, Alaska
For Mark and Dawn, catching salmon is a family affair. Their youngest daughter, Kaisha, often fishes with them on the F/V Bella Dawn, while their eldest daughter, Chelsea, is a Salmon Shares fisherman-owner and captains the F/V Lorelai Bell alongside her husband, Dustin. Dawn and Mark have been navigating the waters of Southeast Alaska together since the 1980s. We’re proud to count them among our Sitka Salmon Shares fishing fleet family. Get to know them in their Boat Deck Cookin’ video!
Copper River Seafoods - Trusted Partner in Alaska
Copper River Seafoods was founded by four Alaskan fishermen in 1996. With processing plants located in Cordova, Anchorage, Naknek (Bristol Bay), Kenai, Togiak, and Kotzebue, the company is recognized today as a premier producer of Alaska seafood with a deep commitment to the state of Alaska.
Member Newsletter
This month’s The Catch features the story of our fishermen in Kodiak, Alaska. As the world grapples with a broken industrial seafood system, we can’t think of a better story to illustrate the stark difference between small-scale and industrial fishing. If you haven’t been to Kodiak, it is an other-worldly place, almost alien-like with its lack of trees, a massive wind farm hanging over the city’s mountain tops, and its fleet of trawlers in the harbor. Read about our Kodiak fishermen and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Bairdi Crab
A new 2021 CSF offering! Southeast Alaska bairdi (snow) crab (glazed, frozen, precooked clusters and legs) caught in pots by our trusted partners at Alaska Glacier Seafoods in Juneau, Alaska. Bairdi, sometimes marketed under the names snow, Tanner, or, in Canada, queen crab, is a prized crab harvested during Alaska’s cold winter months. Bairdi have big, beautiful, long legs packed full of tender, sweet meat, which is high in vitamin B-12 — a beneficial nutrient in shellfish.
Dungeness Crab
Haines Dungeness crab (glazed, frozen, precooked clusters) caught in pots by local fishermen and processed by our trusted partners at Haines Packing Co. in Haines, Alaska. These “Dungys” came from the recent Southeast Alaska winter fishery, unlike our Freezer sale, which offered Dungy from the summer harvest. Dungeness cracks open to reveal delicious, slightly briny meat. They’re a west coast classic perfect for dunking in butter sauces or stirring into chowders, soups, curries, seafood stews, and risotto.
Pacific Cod
Southeast Alaska Pacific cod (8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught in pots by local fishermen and filleted by our trusted partner at Alaska Glacier Seafoods in Juneau, Alaska. This Pacific cod comes from a relatively small Southeast Alaska fishery, typically fished by only about 15 small boats. Delicate and flaky, Pacific cod is wonderful fried, sauteéd, baked, or broiled.
Know Your Fishermen
Alaska Glacier Seafoods - Trusted Partner in Juneau, Alaska
Owned and operated by the Erickson family, Alaska Glacier Seafoods is located just north of Sitka in Juneau and is a Southeast Alaska trusted partner that is committed to responsible harvesting that leads to high quality, wild Alaska seafood.
Haines Packing Co. - Trusted Partner in Haines, Alaska
Haines Packing Co. is located in Haines, Alaska, a small community located at the upper end of Lynn Canal in Southeast Alaska. Haines Packing Co. is a community-based, family-owned processor well known for its high quality seafood and respectful handling. Established in 1917, Haines Packing Co. is the longest continually running seafood processor in Southeast Alaska and has been family-run for generations.
Member Newsletter
We begin the 11th season of our Community Supported Fishery with a story in The Catch of Cale LaDuke’s harrowing shipwreck last season. A Sitka Salmon Shares fisherman since 2018, Cale’s experience reminds us of the dangers our fishermen face in the wild and the resilience that a community’s support brings to operations like Cale’s. Read about Cale's experience and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Premium Sitka Seafood Share without Shellfish
Projected Harvest
Wild N. Pacific Albacore Tuna
- ~6-16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, boneless
- Caught using low-impact hook-and-line fishing gear off the coasts of Oregon and Washington
- Frozen on the fishing boat and cut while frozen (for maximum quality) at our trusted partner facility in Bellingham, Washington
Wild Alaska Rockfish
- ~6-12oz portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, boneless
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line fishing jig and longline fishing gear in Southeast Alaska and near Kodiak, Alaska
- Filletted and frozen at our company-owned facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by our trusted partner facilities in Kodiak or Southeast Alaska
Wild Alaska Halibut
- ~6-12oz portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, boneless
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line fishing jig and longline fishing gear in Southeast Alaska and near Kodiak, Alaska
- Filletted and frozen at our company-owned facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by our trusted partner facilities in Kodiak or Southeast Alaska
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Pacific cod
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line longline or jig gear, or in pots in Southeast Alaska, in Kodiak, Alaska, and in the Bering Sea
- Filleted by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Wild Alaska Sablefish
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones out
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line longline or pot fishing gear in Southeast Alaska
- Filleted at our company-owned processing facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Coho Salmon
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll fishing gear near Sitka, Alaska, or near Haines, Alaska
- Filleted at our company-owned processing facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Wild Alaska King Salmon
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll fishing gear near Sitka, Alaska
- Filleted at our company-owned processing facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon
- ~4.5 pounds in ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact gillnet fishing gear in Alaska’s Prince William Sound and Bristol Bay
- Filleted by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Member Newsletter
How do Alaskans prepare for winter? Find the answer to that question and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska coho salmon (~6-12 -ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin bones in — find more info on pin bone removal below) caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll fishing gear and delivered to Sitka where we fillet the salmon at our company-owned processing facility.
There are thousands of rivers and streams where coho salmon return every year throughout Southeast Alaska. Trollers fish the outer coast of Southeast Alaska in order to catch coho during their migrations to these inland waterways. Also known as silver salmon, coho have a mild flavor with medium fat content, moderate texture and firmness, and a normal-sized flake. We love to use low to medium heat for uniform cooking all the way through, or give them a quick sear over medium-high heat for crisp skin and a soft center. Cook your coho until it flakes slightly when poked. Be careful to remove pin bones before cooking or slicing!
Wild Alaska king salmon (~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in) Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll fishing gear and low-impact gillnet fishing gear. Delivered to Sitka where we fillet the salmon at our company-owned processing facility.
A prize of our wild Alaska waters, king salmon are the largest of the five commercially harvested salmon in Alaska. They’re also the richest of wild Alaska salmon — king salmon have high levels of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA. King salmon can be prepared simply, and their richness means it’s more difficult to overcook. Zingy, mustardy, or lemony sauces pair beautifully, and king are also sublime when quickly seared with nothing more than olive oil, salt, pepper. Be careful to remove pin bones before cooking or slicing!
Smoked wild Alaska salmon (~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in) coho from our Sitka fleet and processing facility and/or sockeye salmon from our trusted partner in Bristol Bay that was expertly hot smoked by Green Bay, Wisconsin-based Bearcats.
A Note on Pin Bones
Why do we leave the salmon pin bones in? Read more about how to easily remove pin bones and why they are a sign of premium quality fish.
Know Your Fishermen
Featured August Fishermen:
Emerald Isle Seafoods: Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale
Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high-volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Joe Daniels, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
A second generation fisherman, Joe spent his childhood years in Pelican, Alaska, where his father fished for many years. Joe began “working” on his father’s boat as a toddler, learning the ins and outs of fishing over the course of his youth. With the passage of time, Joe has remained intrigued by the craft and art of catching salmon. His relationship with Salmon Shares is intricately tied to the principles that drive his work. “I go above and beyond to harvest and process my fish in a manner that presents exceptional quality,” he says. “I want to sell my fish to people who understand this and appreciate it.”
Drew Terhaar, F/V Audacious, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
As part of the Salmon Shares fleet, Drew enjoys knowing that not only is he part of a larger picture of environmental stewardship and sustainable management, but he’s also working to put healthy, high quality food into the hands of our members.
Learn more about Sitka Salmon Shares fishermen-owners and our trusted partners.
Recipes
Browse our recipes for ideas and inspiration for your next great seafood meal. Your share will also come with recipes curated by our Culinary Team for how to prepare the seafood in each month’s share.
Need more seafood cooking tips or want to share your favorite seafood recipes? Email culinary@sitkasalmonshares.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Member Newsletter
Salmon season is upon us. Read about the Alaska salmon run and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Your July Premium Sitka Seafood Share without Shellfish is projected to include 4.5 to 5 pounds of:
Wild Alaska halibut (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught by longline in Gulf of Alaska waters and filleted by our Sitka plant team and at trusted partner facilities.
Halibut’s mild flavor, beautiful bright white and medium-firm dense flesh with large flakes make it a favorite for Alaska fish fries. Walk the streets of an Alaskan coastal town and chances are you’ll be enticed into a simple basket of fried halibut. However you prefer your halibut, know that it’s very lean — be careful to not overcook this mighty white fish! In a hurry for dinner? This 20-minute Thai Green Fish Curry made with halibut is the answer.
Wild Alaska sablefish (black cod)* (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and boneless) caught by longline and pots in the Gulf of Alaska, and filleted by our Sitka plant team and at trusted partner facilities.
Sablefish has a mild buttery-sweet flavor and a medium-firm texture with large flakes. It’s also rather rich, with a higher fat content than other white fish — heart-healthy fats, that is! Sablefish is absolutely mouthwatering when sautéed with crispy skin and served with bright, acidic sauces like chimichurri, citrusy pan sauces, vinaigrettes, capers, and lemon. Try this recipe for Nobu-style Sablefish Rice Bowl with Quick Pickles based on a wildly popular preparation from Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa. It may leave you questioning whether you ever need to eat out at a restaurant again. Proceed at your own risk!
*Note: About 1 in 100 sablefish have a characteristic known as “jelly belly.” As a result, a sablefish with jelly belly will disintegrate while cooking. It poses no health risk to consume it, however it is not considered edible due to how mushy the fish will become upon cooking. We realize it is a bummer when this happens and can throw a wrench in dinner plans! Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to detect “jelly belly” when we fillet and inspect the fish. If you get a piece of sablefish like this, please call us at 309-342-FISH (3474) or email us at salmonsupport@sitkasalmonshares.com and we will replace your fish right away.
Know Your Fishermen
Featured July Fishermen and Partners:
Joe Daniels, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
A second generation fisherman, Joe spent his childhood years in Pelican, Alaska, where his father fished for many years. Joe began “working” on his father’s boat as a toddler, learning the ins-and-outs of fishing over the course of his youth. With the passage of time, Joe has remained intrigued by the craft and art of catching salmon. His relationship with Salmon Shares is intricately tied to the principles that drive his work. “I go above and beyond to harvest and process my fish in a manner that presents exceptional quality. I want to sell my fish to people who understand this and appreciate it.”
Drew Terhaar, F/V Audacious, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
As part of the Salmon Shares fleet, Drew enjoys knowing that not only is he part of a larger picture of environmental stewardship and sustainable management, but he’s also working to put healthy, high quality food into the hands of our members.
Glenn Crocetti, F/V Marantha
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Kodiak, Alaska
Glenn grew up on dairy farms on the East Coast and started fishing in New England around the age of 19. He came to Alaska at the age of 21 and continues to live there with his wife and two kids (with another on the way). Glen enjoys rockfish tacos with cilantro and lime, a good hot salsa, and cabbage. He says that when combined with some beers, it’s a recipe for a good time with friends. Glenn caught your rockfish using “jig” gear, which is an artisan, hook-and-line, low-impact fishing method highly conducive to quality fish.
Emerald Isle Seafoods: Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family, and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Haines Packing Co.
Trusted Partner in Southeast Alaska
Established in 1917, Haines Packing Co. is the longest continually running seafood processor in Southeast Alaska and has been family-run for generations. We work with Haines Packing to provide our members with Dungeness crab as well as salmon from the side-by-side Chilkat and Chilkoot watersheds, which produce the largest runs of sockeye in Southeast Alaska and also support coho and keta runs.
Member Newsletter
There is no denying the seas are getting choppy in the commercial fishing industry. When Sitka Salmon Shares launched 11 years ago, we started with a simple mission: Connect small-scale fishermen to a few folks in the Midwest who were hungry for a transparent supply chain and really good fish. We have been overjoyed with the growth in our community. It has allowed us to bring more small-boat fishermen into our fleet and reward them for the care and attention they give to every fish. Read about our resiliency over the years and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Your June Premium Sitka Seafood Share w/ out Shellfish is projected to include 4.5 to 5 pounds of:
Wild Alaska halibut (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught by longline in Gulf of Alaska waters and filleted by our Sitka plant team and at trusted partner facilities.
Halibut’s mild flavor, beautiful bright white and medium-firm dense flesh with large flakes make it a favorite for Alaska fish fries. Walk the streets of an Alaskan coastal town and chances are you’ll be enticed into a simple basket of fried halibut. However you prefer your halibut, know that it’s very lean — be careful to not overcook this mighty white fish! In a hurry for dinner? This 20-minute Thai Green Fish Curry made with halibut is the answer.
Wild Alaska sablefish (black cod)* (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and boneless) caught by longline and pots in the Gulf of Alaska, and filleted by our Sitka plant team and at trusted partner facilities.
Sablefish has a mild buttery-sweet flavor and a medium-firm texture with large flakes. It’s also rather rich, with a higher fat content than other white fish — heart-healthy fats, that is! Sablefish is absolutely mouthwatering when sautéed with crispy skin and served with bright, acidic sauces like chimichurri, citrusy pan sauces, vinaigrettes, capers, and lemon. Try this recipe for Nobu-style Sablefish (Black Cod) Rice Bowl with Quick Pickles based on a wildly popular preparation from Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa. It may leave you questioning whether you ever need to eat out at a restaurant again. Proceed at your own risk!
Wild Alaska Pacific cod (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught in the waters of the Gulf of Alaska with hook-and-line “jig” and longline gear and pots.
Delicate and flaky, Pacific cod is wonderful fried, sautéed, baked, or broiled. We love our Pacific cod sautéed and served with pan sauces, battered or breaded and fried for fish and chips, fish sandwiches, or Baja-style tacos, or simply baked with vegetables for sheet-pan suppers. Like halibut, Pacific cod is lean, so be careful not to overcook. A generous pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil goes a long way with this fish.
*Note: About 1 in 100 sablefish have a characteristic known as “jelly belly.” As a result, a sablefish with jelly belly will disintegrate while cooking. It poses no health risk to consume it, however it is not considered edible due to how mushy the fish will become upon cooking. We realize it is a bummer when this happens and can throw a wrench in dinner plans! Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to detect “jelly belly” when we fillet and inspect the fish. If you get a piece of sablefish like this, please call us at 309-342-FISH (3474) or email us at salmonsupport@sitkasalmonshares.com and we will replace your fish right away.
Know Your Fishermen
Featured June Fishermen and Partners
Stu Weathers, F/V El Tiburon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Stu started fishing for halibut and sablefish alongside his stepfather back when he was in high school. When, at the age of 25, he decided he was ready to begin captaining his own boat, Stu’s stepfather sold him the 53-foot-long F/V El Tiburon. “I can’t think of a better way to make a living than catching fish with your buddies,” he says. As a fisherman, Stu goes the extra mile to ensure that he’s bringing in the best fish possible — a standard that he says is maintained by Sitka Salmon Shares. “When you work with large processors, they might give you a pat on the back,” he says, “but they don’t always take the best care of your fish once they’re in their hands.” Sitka Salmon Shares’ commitment to quality matches his own.
Brett Zaenglein, F/V Ida Lee, F/V Gretchen
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Brett is a long-time Sitka resident with roots in the Midwest and the Southwest. Now with nearly three decades as a fisherman, Brett brings experience and wisdom to our fleet. His focus on quality and care for the fish aligns with ours perfectly. “I enjoy eating and making good quality food because of the garbage we are so often fed,” he says. “I mean, we are over 7 billion on this planet, so there is a need for some commercial farming, but what are the costs? What is the actual cost of the health problems, the sterilization of the soils, the killing off of the bees? There is value to feeding ourselves better. It may cost us more up front for that wild salmon, but look at the health benefits, the brain power, and the quality of life in the long run.”
Mark & Dawn Young, F/V Bella Dawn
Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Sitka, Alaska
For Mark and Dawn, catching fish has been a family affair. The couple have been navigating the waters of Southeast Alaska together since the 1980s and their daughters grew up fishing with them on their vessel the F/V Bella Dawn. We’re proud to count them among our Sitka Salmon Shares fishing fleet family. Get to know them in their Boat Deck Cookin’ video!
Glenn Crocetti, F/V Marantha
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Kodiak, Alaska
Glenn grew up on dairy farms on the East Coast and started fishing in New England around the age of 19. He came to Alaska at the age of 21 and continues to live there with his wife and two kids (with another on the way). Glen enjoys rockfish tacos with cilantro and lime, a good hot salsa, and cabbage. He says that when combined with some beers, it’s a recipe for a good time with friends. Glenn caught your rockfish using “jig” gear, which is an artisan, hook-and-line, low-impact fishing method highly conducive to quality fish.
Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale
Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family, and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Copper River Seafoods
Trusted Partner in Southcentral Alaska
Copper River Seafoods was founded by four Alaskan fishermen in 1996. With processing plants located in Cordova, Anchorage, Naknek (Bristol Bay), Kenai, Togiak, and Kotzebue, the company is recognized today as a premier producer of high quality Alaska seafood with a deep commitment to the state of Alaska.
Member Newsletter
This past year we have all benefited from invisible labor. Our economy would screech to a halt without the service workers who deliver our mail, meals, and medicine. Tendermen hold a similar crucial, invisible yet life improving role for our fishing fleet. Our tendermen play a critical role in our fleet, but their names don’t appear on your fillets of fish or pouches of crab. This month, we’d like to share their story with you, our members. Read about our tendermen and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Your May Premium Sitka Seafood Share w/o Shellfish is projected to include 4.5 to 5 pounds of:
Alaska Sablefish (black cod)* (~8- to 16-ounce portions, blast-frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and deboned with a center cut) caught in pots or by longline and filleted at our Sitka plant or by our trusted partners at Copper River Seafoods.
Sablefish has a mild buttery-sweet flavor and a medium-firm texture with large flakes. It’s also rather rich, with a higher fat content than other white fish — the good, heart healthy fats, so don’t let the richness scare you! Sablefish is absolutely mouthwatering when sautéed with crispy skin and served with bright, acidic sauces like chimichurri, citrusy pan sauces, vinaigrettes, capers, and lemon.
Alaska Pacific cod (~8 to 16-ounce portions, blast-frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught with hook-and-line “jig” gear. Delicate and flaky, Pacific cod is wonderful fried, sautéed, baked, or broiled. We love our Pacific cod sautéed and served with pan sauces, battered or breaded and fried for fish and chips, fish sandwiches, or Baja-style tacos, or simply baked with vegetables for sheet-pan suppers. Like halibut, Pacific cod is lean, so be careful not to overcook! A generous pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil goes a long way toward a perfect piece of flaky Pacific cod goodness.
*Note: About 1 in 100 sablefish have a characteristic known as “jelly belly.” These fish lack an enzyme that makes their meat hold up to the heat of cooking. As a result, a sablefish with jelly belly will disintegrate while cooking. It poses no health risk to consume it, however it is likely not considered edible due to how mushy the fish will become upon cooking. We realize it is a bummer when this happens and can throw a wrench in dinner plans! Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to detect “jelly belly” when we fillet and inspect the fish. If you get a piece of sablefish like this, please call us at 309-342-FISH (3474) or email us at salmonsupport@sitkasalmonshares.com and we will replace your fish right away.
Know Your Fishermen
Stu Weathers, F/V El Tiburon - Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Stu started fishing for halibut and sablefish alongside his stepfather back when he was in high school. When, at the age of 25, he decided he was ready to begin captaining his own boat, Stu’s stepfather sold him the 53-foot-long F/V El Tiburon. “I can’t think of a better way to make a living than catching fish with your buddies,” he says. As a fisherman, Stu goes the extra mile to ensure that he’s bringing in the best fish possible — a standard that he says is maintained by Sitka Salmon Shares. “When you work with large processors, they might give you a pat on the back,” he says, “but they don’t always take the best care of your fish once they’re in their hands.” Sitka Salmon Shares’ commitment to quality matches his own.
Brett Zaenglein, F/V Ida Lee - Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Brett is a long-time Sitka resident with roots in the Midwest and the Southwest. Now with nearly three decades as a fisherman, Brett brings experience and wisdom to our fleet. His focus on quality and care for the fish aligns with ours perfectly. “I enjoy eating and making good quality food because of the garbage we are so often fed,” he says. “I mean, we are over 7 billion on this planet, so there is a need for some commercial farming, but what are the costs? What is the actual cost of the health problems, the sterilization of the soils, the killing off of the bees? There is value to feeding ourselves better. It may cost us more up front for that wild salmon, but look at the health benefits, the brain power, and the quality of life in the long run.”
Mark & Dawn Young, F/V Bella Dawn - Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Sitka, Alaska
For Mark and Dawn, catching salmon is a family affair. Their youngest daughter, Kaisha, often fishes with them on the F/V Bella Dawn, while their eldest daughter, Chelsea, is a Salmon Shares fisherman-owner and captains the F/V Lorelai Bell alongside her husband, Dustin. Dawn and Mark have been navigating the waters of Southeast Alaska together since the 1980s. We’re proud to count them among our Sitka Salmon Shares fishing fleet family. Get to know them in their Boat Deck Cookin’ video!
Copper River Seafoods - Trusted Partner in Alaska
Copper River Seafoods was founded by four Alaskan fishermen in 1996. With processing plants located in Cordova, Anchorage, Naknek (Bristol Bay), Kenai, Togiak, and Kotzebue, the company is recognized today as a premier producer of Alaska seafood with a deep commitment to the state of Alaska.
Member Newsletter
This month’s The Catch features the story of our fishermen in Kodiak, Alaska. As the world grapples with a broken industrial seafood system, we can’t think of a better story to illustrate the stark difference between small-scale and industrial fishing. If you haven’t been to Kodiak, it is an other-worldly place, almost alien-like with its lack of trees, a massive wind farm hanging over the city’s mountain tops, and its fleet of trawlers in the harbor. Read about our Kodiak fishermen and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Pacific Cod
Southeast Alaska Pacific cod (8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught in pots by local fishermen and filleted by our trusted partner at Alaska Glacier Seafoods in Juneau, Alaska. This Pacific cod comes from a relatively small Southeast Alaska fishery, typically fished by only about 15 small boats. Delicate and flaky, Pacific cod is wonderful fried, sauteéd, baked, or broiled.
Know Your Fishermen
Alaska Glacier Seafoods - Trusted Partner in Juneau, Alaska
Owned and operated by the Erickson family, Alaska Glacier Seafoods is located just north of Sitka in Juneau and is a Southeast Alaska trusted partner that is committed to responsible harvesting that leads to high quality, wild Alaska seafood.
Haines Packing Co. - Trusted Partner in Haines, Alaska
Haines Packing Co. is located in Haines, Alaska, a small community located at the upper end of Lynn Canal in Southeast Alaska. Haines Packing Co. is a community-based, family-owned processor well known for its high quality seafood and respectful handling. Established in 1917, Haines Packing Co. is the longest continually running seafood processor in Southeast Alaska and has been family-run for generations.
Member Newsletter
We begin the 11th season of our Community Supported Fishery with a story in The Catch of Cale LaDuke’s harrowing shipwreck last season. A Sitka Salmon Shares fisherman since 2018, Cale’s experience reminds us of the dangers our fishermen face in the wild and the resilience that a community’s support brings to operations like Cale’s. Read about Cale's experience and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Sitka Seafood Share
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact gillnet fishing gear in Alaska’s Bristol Bay
- Filleted by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Wild Alaska Coho Salmon
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll fishing gear near Sitka, Alaska, or using low-impact gillnets in Southeast Alaska
- Filleted at our company-owned facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by trusted partner facilities in Southeast Alaska
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact gillnet fishing gear in Alaska’s Prince William Sound and Bristol Bay
- Filleted by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Wild Alaska Keta Salmon
- ~4.5 pounds in ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll and gillnet fishing gear near Sitka, Juneau, and Haines in Southeast Alaska
- Filleted at our company-owned processing facility or by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact gillnet fishing gear in Alaska’s Prince William Sound and Bristol Bay
- Filleted by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Wild Alaska Salmon Burger
- 1lb portions, froze, vacuum-sealed, boneless flaked salmon burger meat
- Mix of king, coho, and choice keta salmon caught near Sitka or near Haines, Alaska
- Produced by our company-owned processing facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Coho Salmon
- ~4.5 pounds in ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll fishing gear near Sitka, Alaska
- Filleted at our company-owned processing facility in Sitka, Alaska
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Member Newsletter
How do Alaskans prepare for winter? Find the answer to that question and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska keta salmon (~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in) caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll fishing gear and some low-impact gillnet fishing gear, and filleted at our company-owned processing facility or by our trusted partners at Alaska Glacier Seafoods and Haines Packing Co.
Keta are the second largest Pacific salmon right behind king salmon. They have a mild flavor and a very lean, pinkish-orange flesh with a firm, meaty flake. Since it’s lean, keta salmon does very well with a little added fat or liquid to keep moist. Try it poached, simmered, or stewed for chowders, soups, curries, or marinated and baked with plenty of buttery sauce. Keta is delicious paired with rich sauces (think aioli, buttery pan sauces, pestos, or chimichurri). Like other salmon, use medium heat for uniform cooking all the way through. Be careful to remove pin bones before cooking or slicing!
A Note on Pin Bones
Why do we leave the salmon pin bones in? Read more about how to easily remove pin bones and why they are a sign of premium quality fish.
Wild Alaska lingcod (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) Caught in Southeast Alaska using a hook-and-line method that includes a nifty fishing device called a “dinglebar” and filleted by our Sitka plant team or by our trusted partner at Yakobi Fisheries in Pelican, Alaska.
With a mild flavor, medium flake, and a medium-firm texture, lingcod are versatile and easy to prepare using multiple cooking methods. Try lingcod sautéed and served with pan sauces, poached in flavorful sauce or olive oil, or simmered inchowders, soups, curries, and seafood stews.They can be prone to overcooking and drying out, so when sautéing or pan-frying, don’t cook until the flesh flakes — rather, lingcod should be firm in the center with a gentle spring when touched. Use nonstick or seasoned cast iron with generous oil or butter to avoid sticking.
About 20% of lingcod have florescent green or blue flesh, which can be alarming at first. Regardless of its initial coloring, all lingcod meat turns bright white when cooked and tastes as amazing as any lingcod. Biologists believe the strange green or blue hues simply indicate that they have consumed a diet rich in chlorophyll by eating more plant matter.
Know Your Fishermen
Featured August Fishermen:
Emerald Isle Seafoods: Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale
Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high-volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Joe Daniels, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
A second generation fisherman, Joe spent his childhood years in Pelican, Alaska, where his father fished for many years. Joe began “working” on his father’s boat as a toddler, learning the ins and outs of fishing over the course of his youth. With the passage of time, Joe has remained intrigued by the craft and art of catching salmon. His relationship with Salmon Shares is intricately tied to the principles that drive his work. “I go above and beyond to harvest and process my fish in a manner that presents exceptional quality,” he says. “I want to sell my fish to people who understand this and appreciate it.”
Drew Terhaar, F/V Audacious, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
As part of the Salmon Shares fleet, Drew enjoys knowing that not only is he part of a larger picture of environmental stewardship and sustainable management, but he’s also working to put healthy, high quality food into the hands of our members.
Learn more about Sitka Salmon Shares fishermen-owners and our trusted partners.
Recipes
Browse our recipes for ideas and inspiration for your next great seafood meal. Your share will also come with recipes curated by our Culinary Team for how to prepare the seafood in each month’s share.
Need more seafood cooking tips or want to share your favorite seafood recipes? Email culinary@sitkasalmonshares.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Member Newsletter
Salmon season is upon us. Read about the Alaska salmon run and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Your July Sitka Seafood Share is projected to include 4.5 to 5 pounds of:
Wild Alaska halibut burger (1-pound package, vacuum-sealed, boneless halibut burger meat) caught by longline in the Gulf of Alaska and packaged at trusted partner facilities.
To be good stewards of our wild Alaska seafood, we try not to let any delicious morsel go to waste. Halibut burger is the meat scraped from the backbone of halibut after it is filleted. We love our halibut burger formed into patties for pan-fried burgers, sautéed and folded into scrambled eggs and hash browns for breakfast scramble (seafood for breakfast is in!), or seasoned and sautéed for enchiladas, tacos, or burritos. The uses for halibut burger goes on and on. Culinary Director Grace Parisi’s recipe for Banh Mi Fish Burgers with Quick Pickled Cucumbers and Carrots will leave you questioning if you ever need a beef patty ever again!
Jig-caught Kodiak rockfish and/or Pacific cod (8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless), with the precise makeup being determined by the harvest of our fishermen. Versatile rockfish and Pacific cod have similar culinary profiles and uses, though rockfish is slightly firmer. The jury is still out on which we love more!
There are around 40 different kinds of rockfish species that live in Alaska waters. Of this diverse group of species, our fishermen primarily harvest black, dusky, and yelloweye rockfish plus a variety of others. They share culinary characteristics, which are headlined by rockfish’s mild, sweet flavor and firm texture with large flakes. Rockfish are also very lean. We go crazy for rockfish that’s sautéed and served with pan sauces, battered or breaded and fried for fish and chips, fish sandwiches, or Baja-style tacos, or baked with vegetables for easy sheet-pan suppers. Be careful! Since rockfish is quite lean, it can be prone to overcooking and drying out. For a zingy and fun rockfish dinner, try Rockfish with Sizzling Ginger Sauce — you’ll thank us later!
There’s a small, but non-zero chance that we will substitute lingcod for rockfish based on our catch totals.
Know Your Fishermen
Featured July Fishermen and Partners:
Joe Daniels, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
A second generation fisherman, Joe spent his childhood years in Pelican, Alaska, where his father fished for many years. Joe began “working” on his father’s boat as a toddler, learning the ins-and-outs of fishing over the course of his youth. With the passage of time, Joe has remained intrigued by the craft and art of catching salmon. His relationship with Salmon Shares is intricately tied to the principles that drive his work. “I go above and beyond to harvest and process my fish in a manner that presents exceptional quality. I want to sell my fish to people who understand this and appreciate it.”
Drew Terhaar, F/V Audacious, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
As part of the Salmon Shares fleet, Drew enjoys knowing that not only is he part of a larger picture of environmental stewardship and sustainable management, but he’s also working to put healthy, high quality food into the hands of our members.
Glenn Crocetti, F/V Marantha
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Kodiak, Alaska
Glenn grew up on dairy farms on the East Coast and started fishing in New England around the age of 19. He came to Alaska at the age of 21 and continues to live there with his wife and two kids (with another on the way). Glen enjoys rockfish tacos with cilantro and lime, a good hot salsa, and cabbage. He says that when combined with some beers, it’s a recipe for a good time with friends. Glenn caught your rockfish using “jig” gear, which is an artisan, hook-and-line, low-impact fishing method highly conducive to quality fish.
Emerald Isle Seafoods: Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family, and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Haines Packing Co.
Trusted Partner in Southeast Alaska
Established in 1917, Haines Packing Co. is the longest continually running seafood processor in Southeast Alaska and has been family-run for generations. We work with Haines Packing to provide our members with Dungeness crab as well as salmon from the side-by-side Chilkat and Chilkoot watersheds, which produce the largest runs of sockeye in Southeast Alaska and also support coho and keta runs.
Member Newsletter
There is no denying the seas are getting choppy in the commercial fishing industry. When Sitka Salmon Shares launched 11 years ago, we started with a simple mission: Connect small-scale fishermen to a few folks in the Midwest who were hungry for a transparent supply chain and really good fish. We have been overjoyed with the growth in our community. It has allowed us to bring more small-boat fishermen into our fleet and reward them for the care and attention they give to every fish. Read about our resiliency over the years and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Your June Sitka Seafood Share is projected to include 4.5 to 5 pounds of:
Wild Alaska sablefish (black cod)* (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and boneless) caught by longline and pots in the Gulf of Alaska, and filleted by our Sitka plant team and at trusted partner facilities.
Sablefish has a mild buttery-sweet flavor and a medium-firm texture with large flakes. It’s also rather rich, with a higher fat content than other white fish — heart-healthy fats, that is! Sablefish is absolutely mouthwatering when sautéed with crispy skin and served with bright, acidic sauces like chimichurri, citrusy pan sauces, vinaigrettes, capers, and lemon. Try this recipe for Nobu-style Sablefish (Black Cod) Rice Bowl with Quick Pickles based on a wildly popular preparation from Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa. It may leave you questioning whether you ever need to eat out at a restaurant again. Proceed at your own risk!
Wild Alaska halibut burger (1-pound package, vacuum-sealed, boneless halibut burger meat) caught by longline in the Gulf of Alaska and packaged at trusted partner facilities.
To be good stewards of our wild Alaska seafood, we try not to let any delicious morsel go to waste. Halibut burger is the meat scraped from the backbone of halibut after it is filleted. We love our halibut burger formed into patties for pan-fried burgers, sautéed and folded into scrambled eggs and hash browns for breakfast scramble (seafood for breakfast is in!), or seasoned and sautéed for enchiladas, tacos, or burritos. The uses for halibut burger goes on and on. Culinary Director Grace Parisi’s recipe for Banh Mi Fish Burgers with Quick Pickled Cucumbers and Carrots will leave you questioning if you ever need a beef patty ever again!
*Note: About 1 in 100 sablefish have a characteristic known as “jelly belly.” As a result, a sablefish with jelly belly will disintegrate while cooking. It poses no health risk to consume it, however it is not considered edible due to how mushy the fish will become upon cooking. We realize it is a bummer when this happens and can throw a wrench in dinner plans! Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to detect “jelly belly” when we fillet and inspect the fish. If you get a piece of sablefish like this, please call us at 309-342-FISH (3474) or email us at salmonsupport@sitkasalmonshares.com and we will replace your fish right away.
Know Your Fishermen
Featured June Fishermen and Partners
Stu Weathers, F/V El Tiburon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Stu started fishing for halibut and sablefish alongside his stepfather back when he was in high school. When, at the age of 25, he decided he was ready to begin captaining his own boat, Stu’s stepfather sold him the 53-foot-long F/V El Tiburon. “I can’t think of a better way to make a living than catching fish with your buddies,” he says. As a fisherman, Stu goes the extra mile to ensure that he’s bringing in the best fish possible — a standard that he says is maintained by Sitka Salmon Shares. “When you work with large processors, they might give you a pat on the back,” he says, “but they don’t always take the best care of your fish once they’re in their hands.” Sitka Salmon Shares’ commitment to quality matches his own.
Brett Zaenglein, F/V Ida Lee, F/V Gretchen
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Brett is a long-time Sitka resident with roots in the Midwest and the Southwest. Now with nearly three decades as a fisherman, Brett brings experience and wisdom to our fleet. His focus on quality and care for the fish aligns with ours perfectly. “I enjoy eating and making good quality food because of the garbage we are so often fed,” he says. “I mean, we are over 7 billion on this planet, so there is a need for some commercial farming, but what are the costs? What is the actual cost of the health problems, the sterilization of the soils, the killing off of the bees? There is value to feeding ourselves better. It may cost us more up front for that wild salmon, but look at the health benefits, the brain power, and the quality of life in the long run.”
Mark & Dawn Young, F/V Bella Dawn
Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Sitka, Alaska
For Mark and Dawn, catching fish has been a family affair. The couple have been navigating the waters of Southeast Alaska together since the 1980s and their daughters grew up fishing with them on their vessel the F/V Bella Dawn. We’re proud to count them among our Sitka Salmon Shares fishing fleet family. Get to know them in their Boat Deck Cookin’ video!
Glenn Crocetti, F/V Marantha
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Kodiak, Alaska
Glenn grew up on dairy farms on the East Coast and started fishing in New England around the age of 19. He came to Alaska at the age of 21 and continues to live there with his wife and two kids (with another on the way). Glen enjoys rockfish tacos with cilantro and lime, a good hot salsa, and cabbage. He says that when combined with some beers, it’s a recipe for a good time with friends. Glenn caught your rockfish using “jig” gear, which is an artisan, hook-and-line, low-impact fishing method highly conducive to quality fish.
Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale
Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family, and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Copper River Seafoods
Trusted Partner in Southcentral Alaska
Copper River Seafoods was founded by four Alaskan fishermen in 1996. With processing plants located in Cordova, Anchorage, Naknek (Bristol Bay), Kenai, Togiak, and Kotzebue, the company is recognized today as a premier producer of high quality Alaska seafood with a deep commitment to the state of Alaska.
Member Newsletter
This past year we have all benefited from invisible labor. Our economy would screech to a halt without the service workers who deliver our mail, meals, and medicine. Tendermen hold a similar crucial, invisible yet life improving role for our fishing fleet. Our tendermen play a critical role in our fleet, but their names don’t appear on your fillets of fish or pouches of crab. This month, we’d like to share their story with you, our members. Read about our tendermen and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Your May Sitka Seafood Share is projected to include 4.5 to 5 pounds of:
Southeast Alaska halibut (~8 to 16-ounce portions, blast-frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught by longline and filleted at our Sitka plant. Halibut’s mild flavor, beautiful bright white and medium-firm dense flesh with large flakes make it a favorite for Alaska fish fries. Walk the streets of an Alaskan seaside town during a seasonal festival, and chances are you’ll be enticed into a simple basket of fried halibut with a squeeze of lemon then dipped in tartar sauce. However you prefer your halibut, know that it’s very lean — be careful to not overcook this mighty white fish! In a hurry for dinner? This 20-minute Thai Green Fish Curry made with halibut is the answer. Need more tips on cooking halibut? Email askgrace@sitkasalmonshares.com with your questions for a personal response from Culinary Director Grace Parisi.
Kodiak Alaska Pacific cod (~8 to 16-ounce portions, blast-frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught with hook-and-line “jig” gear. Delicate and flaky, Pacific cod is wonderful fried, sautéed, baked, or broiled. We love our Pacific cod sautéed and served with pan sauces, battered or breaded and fried for fish and chips, fish sandwiches, or Baja-style tacos, or simply baked with vegetables for sheet-pan suppers. Like halibut, Pacific cod is lean, so be careful not to overcook! A generous pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil goes a long way toward a perfect piece of flaky Pacific cod goodness.
Know Your Fishermen
Kodiak Island WildSource - Trusted Partner in Kodiak, Alaska
Kodiak Island WildSource is a quality-focused seafood processor in the rich western Gulf of Alaska waters and is 100%-owned by the Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak Island. The Sun'aq Tribe is an Alutiiq tribe whose roots on Kodiak Island and the surrounding Alaska Peninsula date back over 8,000 years. This tribal enterprise custom processes rockfish and Pacific cod from our fleet of Kodiak fishermen-owners and partner fishermen on behalf of Sitka Salmon Shares.
Member Newsletter
This month’s The Catch features the story of our fishermen in Kodiak, Alaska. As the world grapples with a broken industrial seafood system, we can’t think of a better story to illustrate the stark difference between small-scale and industrial fishing. If you haven’t been to Kodiak, it is an other-worldly place, almost alien-like with its lack of trees, a massive wind farm hanging over the city’s mountain tops, and its fleet of trawlers in the harbor. Read about our Kodiak fishermen and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Dungeness Crab
Haines Dungeness crab (glazed, frozen, precooked clusters) caught in pots by local fishermen and processed by our trusted partners at Haines Packing Co. in Haines, Alaska. These “Dungys” came from the recent Southeast Alaska winter fishery, unlike our Freezer sale, which offered Dungy from the summer harvest. Dungeness cracks open to reveal delicious, slightly briny meat. They’re a west coast classic perfect for dunking in butter sauces or stirring into chowders, soups, curries, seafood stews, and risotto.
Rockfish
Pacific Cod
Jig-caught Kodiak rockfish and/or Pacific cod (8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless), with the precise makeup being determined by the harvest of our fishermen. Versatile rockfish and Pacific cod have similar culinary profiles and uses, though rockfish is slightly firmer. The jury is still out on which we love more!
Know Your Fishermen
Haines Packing Co. - Trusted Partner in Haines, Alaska
Haines Packing Co. is located in Haines, Alaska, a small community located at the upper end of Lynn Canal in Southeast Alaska. Haines Packing Co. is a community-based, family-owned processor well known for its high quality seafood and respectful handling. Established in 1917, Haines Packing Co. is the longest continually running seafood processor in Southeast Alaska and has been family-run for generations.
Glenn Crocetti, F/V Marantha - Sitka Salmon Shares fisherman-owner in Kodiak, Alaska
Glenn grew up on dairy farms on the East Coast and started fishing in New England around the age of 19. He came to Alaska at the age of 21 and continues to live there with his wife and two kids (with another on the way). Glen enjoys rockfish tacos with cilantro and lime, a good hot salsa, and cabbage. He says that when combined with some beers, it’s a recipe for a good time with friends. Glenn caught your rockfish using “jig” gear, which is an artisan, hook-and-line, low-impact fishing method highly conducive to quality fish.
Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale - Sitka Salmon Shares fisherman-owners in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family, and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Member Newsletter
We begin the 11th season of our Community Supported Fishery with a story in The Catch of Cale LaDuke’s harrowing shipwreck last season. A Sitka Salmon Shares fisherman since 2018, Cale’s experience reminds us of the dangers our fishermen face in the wild and the resilience that a community’s support brings to operations like Cale’s. Read about Cale's experience and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Sitka Salmon Share
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact gillnet fishing gear in Alaska’s Bristol Bay
- Filleted by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Keta Salmon
- ~4.5 pounds in ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll and gillnet fishing gear near Sitka, Juneau, and Haines in Southeast Alaska
- Filleted at our company-owned processing facility or by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Wild Alaska Salmon Burger
- 1lb portions, froze, vacuum-sealed, boneless flaked salmon burger meat
- Mix of king, coho, and choice keta salmon caught near Sitka or near Haines, Alaska
- Produced by our company-owned processing facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Coho Salmon
- ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll fishing gear near Sitka, Alaska, or near Haines, Alaska
- Filleted at our company-owned processing facility in Sitka, Alaska, or by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon
- ~4.5 pounds in ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact gillnet fishing gear near Haines, Alaska
- Filleted by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Wild Alaska Keta Salmon
- ~4.5 pounds in ~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in*
- Caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll and gillnet fishing gear near Sitka, Juneau, and Haines in Southeast Alaska
- Filleted at our company-owned processing facility or by trusted processing partners who maintain premium quality standards
Know Your Fishermen
Sitka Salmon Shares is built around a humble collective of committed fishermen that put quality first and handle their fish with respect and care. It’s their livelihood after all, and many of our fishermen have been using these fishing methods for generations.
Our fishermen-owners and our fish plant in Sitka are critical to our mission as a values-driven community supported fishery (CSF). We also work with a network of trusted partners and other small-boat fishermen because not all types of fish we offer are caught in our home port of Sitka. For example, sockeye salmon prefer the extensive networks of streams and lakes found in places like Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska versus the mountainous rainforest surrounding Sitka in Southeast Alaska.
Get to know your fleet of small-boat fishermen and our trusted partners here >
Member Newsletter
How do Alaskans prepare for winter? Find the answer to that question and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska keta salmon (~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in) caught using low-impact, hook-and-line troll fishing gear and some low-impact gillnet fishing gear, and filleted at our company-owned processing facility or by our trusted partners at Alaska Glacier Seafoods and Haines Packing Co.
Keta are the second largest Pacific salmon right behind king salmon. They have a mild flavor and a very lean, pinkish-orange flesh with a firm, meaty flake. Since it’s lean, keta salmon does very well with a little added fat or liquid to keep moist. Try it poached, simmered, or stewed for chowders, soups, curries, or marinated and baked with plenty of buttery sauce. Keta is delicious paired with rich sauces (think aioli, buttery pan sauces, pestos, or chimichurri). Like other salmon, use medium heat for uniform cooking all the way through. Be careful to remove pin bones before cooking or slicing!
Wild Alaska sockeye salmon (~6-12-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and pin-bones in) caught using low-impact gillnet fishing gear in Alaska’s Prince William Sound and processed by our trusted partners at Copper River Seafoods.
Sockeye are generally one of the smaller salmon found in Alaska, ranging in size from 2-9 lbs. However, for what they lack in size they make up for in flavor. As predominantly a filter feeding salmon, sockeye’s diet consists mostly of tiny marine animals called plankton. This diet supports the high concentration of astaxanthin, an antioxidant found in wild salmon. Sockeye has more of this antioxidant than any other salmon which creates that characteristic deep red hue. Sockeye have vibrant deep red-orange flesh with medium fat content, firm meat, and a medium-sized flake. We go crazy for sockeye grilled or broiled as kabobs or fillets with marinades or glazes, or lightly cured as gravlax, ceviche, crudo, or spicy salmon sushi rolls. Use medium heat for uniform cooking all the way through, and be careful to remove pin bones before cooking or slicing!
A Note on Pin Bones
Why do we leave the salmon pin bones in? Read more about how to easily remove pin bones and why they are a sign of premium quality fish.
Know Your Fishermen
Featured August Fishermen:
Emerald Isle Seafoods: Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale
Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high-volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Joe Daniels, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
A second generation fisherman, Joe spent his childhood years in Pelican, Alaska, where his father fished for many years. Joe began “working” on his father’s boat as a toddler, learning the ins and outs of fishing over the course of his youth. With the passage of time, Joe has remained intrigued by the craft and art of catching salmon. His relationship with Salmon Shares is intricately tied to the principles that drive his work. “I go above and beyond to harvest and process my fish in a manner that presents exceptional quality,” he says. “I want to sell my fish to people who understand this and appreciate it.”
Drew Terhaar, F/V Audacious, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
As part of the Salmon Shares fleet, Drew enjoys knowing that not only is he part of a larger picture of environmental stewardship and sustainable management, but he’s also working to put healthy, high quality food into the hands of our members.
Learn more about Sitka Salmon Shares fishermen-owners and our trusted partners.
Recipes
Browse our recipes for ideas and inspiration for your next great seafood meal. Your share will also come with recipes curated by our Culinary Team for how to prepare the seafood in each month’s share.
Need more seafood cooking tips or want to share your favorite seafood recipes? Email culinary@sitkasalmonshares.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Member Newsletter
Salmon season is upon us. Read about the Alaska salmon run and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Sitka White Fish Share
Projected Harvest
Wild Alaska lingcod (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) Caught in Southeast Alaska using a hook-and-line method that includes a nifty fishing device called a “dinglebar” and filleted by our Sitka plant team or by our trusted partner at Yakobi Fisheries in Pelican, Alaska.
With a mild flavor, medium flake, and a medium-firm texture, lingcod are versatile and easy to prepare using multiple cooking methods. Try lingcod sautéed and served with pan sauces, poached in flavorful sauce or olive oil, or simmered inchowders, soups, curries, and seafood stews.They can be prone to overcooking and drying out, so when sautéing or pan-frying, don’t cook until the flesh flakes — rather, lingcod should be firm in the center with a gentle spring when touched. Use nonstick or seasoned cast iron with generous oil or butter to avoid sticking.
About 20% of lingcod have florescent green or blue flesh, which can be alarming at first. Regardless of its initial coloring, all lingcod meat turns bright white when cooked and tastes as amazing as any lingcod. Biologists believe the strange green or blue hues simply indicate that they have consumed a diet rich in chlorophyll by eating more plant matter.
Wild Alaska lingcod burger (~1-lb portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed) caught in Southeast Alaska using a hook-and-line method that includes a nifty fishing device called a “dinglebar” and filleted by our Sitka plant team.
Wild Alaska rockfish (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught by longline and jig gear in the Gulf of Alaska and processed by our Sitka plant team or by our trusted partner facilities in Kodiak.
There are around 40 different kinds of rockfish species that live in Alaska waters. Of this diverse group of species, our fishermen primarily harvest black, dusky, and yelloweye rockfish plus a variety of others. They share culinary characteristics, which are headlined by rockfish’s mild, sweet flavor and firm texture with large flakes. Rockfish are also very lean. We go crazy for rockfish sautéed and served with pan sauces, battered or breaded and fried for fish and chips, fish sandwiches, or Baja-style tacos, or baked with vegetables for easy sheet-pan suppers. Be careful! Since rockfish is quite lean, it can be prone to overcooking and drying out. For a quick and easy rockfish dinner, try Rockfish with Sizzling Ginger Sauce — you’ll thank us later!
There’s a small chance that we will substitute lingcod for rockfish based on our catch totals.
Know Your Fishermen
Featured August Fishermen:
Emerald Isle Seafoods: Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale
Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high-volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Joe Daniels, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
A second generation fisherman, Joe spent his childhood years in Pelican, Alaska, where his father fished for many years. Joe began “working” on his father’s boat as a toddler, learning the ins and outs of fishing over the course of his youth. With the passage of time, Joe has remained intrigued by the craft and art of catching salmon. His relationship with Salmon Shares is intricately tied to the principles that drive his work. “I go above and beyond to harvest and process my fish in a manner that presents exceptional quality,” he says. “I want to sell my fish to people who understand this and appreciate it.”
Drew Terhaar, F/V Audacious, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
As part of the Salmon Shares fleet, Drew enjoys knowing that not only is he part of a larger picture of environmental stewardship and sustainable management, but he’s also working to put healthy, high quality food into the hands of our members.
Learn more about Sitka Salmon Shares fishermen-owners and our trusted partners.
Recipes
Browse our recipes for ideas and inspiration for your next great seafood meal. Your share will also come with recipes curated by our Culinary Team for how to prepare the seafood in each month’s share.
Need more seafood cooking tips or want to share your favorite seafood recipes? Email culinary@sitkasalmonshares.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Member Newsletter
Salmon season is upon us. Read about the Alaska salmon run and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Your July Sitka White Fish Share is projected to include 4.5 to 5 pounds of:
Wild Alaska lingcod (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught in Southeast Alaska using a hook and line method that includes a nifty fishing device called a “dinglebar” and filleted by our Sitka plant team.
Don’t let their name mislead you! Lingcod are neither ling nor cod. Scientifically speaking, they’re actually a species of fish known as a “greenling.” And boy, oh boy, they are tasty. With a mild flavor, medium flake, and a medium-firm texture, lingcod are versatile and lend themselves well to multiple types of preparations. Try lingcod sautéed and served with pan sauces, poached in flavorful sauce or olive oil, or simmered & stewed for chowders, soups, curries, and seafood stews. If you’re sautéing your lingcod, in particular, take note! They can be prone to overcooking and drying out, so be careful not to overcook. Also, don’t cook until the flesh flakes — rather, lingcod should be firm in the center with a gentle spring when touched. It can also be helpful to use nonstick or seasoned cast iron with generous oil or butter to avoid sticking.
Last thing — about 20 percent of lingcod have florescent green or blue flesh, which can be alarming at first. However, regardless of its initial coloring, all lingcod meat turns bright white upon cooking and tastes like any regular lingcod. Biologists believe the strange green or blue hues simply indicate that they have consumed a diet rich in chlorophyll, eating more plant matter. So you can think of these fish as extra-healthy vegan lingcod. Who knows, maybe they’re extra healthy for you, too!
Wild Alaska halibut burger (1-pound package, vacuum-sealed, boneless halibut burger meat) caught by longline in the Gulf of Alaska and packaged at trusted partner facilities.
To be good stewards of our wild Alaska seafood, we try not to let any delicious morsel go to waste. Halibut burger is the meat scraped from the backbone of halibut after it is filleted. We love our halibut burger formed into patties for pan-fried burgers, sautéed and folded into scrambled eggs and hash browns for breakfast scramble (seafood for breakfast is in!), or seasoned and sautéed for enchiladas, tacos, or burritos. The uses for halibut burger goes on and on. Culinary Director Grace Parisi’s recipe for Banh Mi Fish Burgers with Quick Pickled Cucumbers and Carrots will leave you questioning if you ever need a beef patty ever again!
Know Your Fishermen
Featured July Fishermen and Partners:
Joe Daniels, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
A second generation fisherman, Joe spent his childhood years in Pelican, Alaska, where his father fished for many years. Joe began “working” on his father’s boat as a toddler, learning the ins-and-outs of fishing over the course of his youth. With the passage of time, Joe has remained intrigued by the craft and art of catching salmon. His relationship with Salmon Shares is intricately tied to the principles that drive his work. “I go above and beyond to harvest and process my fish in a manner that presents exceptional quality. I want to sell my fish to people who understand this and appreciate it.”
Drew Terhaar, F/V Audacious, F/V Amnicon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
As part of the Salmon Shares fleet, Drew enjoys knowing that not only is he part of a larger picture of environmental stewardship and sustainable management, but he’s also working to put healthy, high quality food into the hands of our members.
Glenn Crocetti, F/V Marantha
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Kodiak, Alaska
Glenn grew up on dairy farms on the East Coast and started fishing in New England around the age of 19. He came to Alaska at the age of 21 and continues to live there with his wife and two kids (with another on the way). Glen enjoys rockfish tacos with cilantro and lime, a good hot salsa, and cabbage. He says that when combined with some beers, it’s a recipe for a good time with friends. Glenn caught your rockfish using “jig” gear, which is an artisan, hook-and-line, low-impact fishing method highly conducive to quality fish.
Emerald Isle Seafoods: Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family, and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Haines Packing Co.
Trusted Partner in Southeast Alaska
Established in 1917, Haines Packing Co. is the longest continually running seafood processor in Southeast Alaska and has been family-run for generations. We work with Haines Packing to provide our members with Dungeness crab as well as salmon from the side-by-side Chilkat and Chilkoot watersheds, which produce the largest runs of sockeye in Southeast Alaska and also support coho and keta runs.
Member Newsletter
There is no denying the seas are getting choppy in the commercial fishing industry. When Sitka Salmon Shares launched 11 years ago, we started with a simple mission: Connect small-scale fishermen to a few folks in the Midwest who were hungry for a transparent supply chain and really good fish. We have been overjoyed with the growth in our community. It has allowed us to bring more small-boat fishermen into our fleet and reward them for the care and attention they give to every fish. Read about our resiliency over the years and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Your June Sitka White Fish Share is projected to include 4.5 to 5 pounds of:
Wild Alaska halibut (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught by longline in Gulf of Alaska waters and filleted by our Sitka plant team and at trusted partner facilities.
Halibut’s mild flavor, beautiful bright white and medium-firm dense flesh with large flakes make it a favorite for Alaska fish fries. Walk the streets of an Alaskan coastal town and chances are you’ll be enticed into a simple basket of fried halibut. However you prefer your halibut, know that it’s very lean — be careful to not overcook this mighty white fish! In a hurry for dinner? This 20-minute Thai Green Fish Curry made with halibut is the answer.
Wild Alaska halibut burger (1-pound package, vacuum-sealed, boneless halibut burger meat) caught by longline in the Gulf of Alaska and packaged at trusted partner facilities.
To be good stewards of our wild Alaska seafood, we try not to let any delicious morsel go to waste. Halibut burger is the meat scraped from the backbone of halibut after it is filleted. We love our halibut burger formed into patties for pan-fried burgers, sautéed and folded into scrambled eggs and hash browns for breakfast scramble (seafood for breakfast is in!), or seasoned and sautéed for enchiladas, tacos, or burritos. The uses for halibut burger goes on and on. Culinary Director Grace Parisi’s recipe for Banh Mi Fish Burgers with Quick Pickled Cucumbers and Carrots will leave you questioning if you ever need a beef patty ever again!
Wild Alaska rockfish (~8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught by longline and jig gear in the Gulf of Alaska and processed by our Sitka plant team or by our trusted partner facilities in Kodiak.
There are around 40 different kinds of rockfish species that live in Alaska waters. Of this diverse group of species, our fishermen primarily harvest black, dusky, and yelloweye rockfish plus a variety of others. They share culinary characteristics, which are headlined by rockfish’s mild, sweet flavor and firm texture with large flakes. Rockfish are also very lean. We go crazy for rockfish that’s sautéed and served with pan sauces, battered or breaded and fried for fish and chips, fish sandwiches, or Baja-style tacos, or baked with vegetables for easy sheet-pan suppers. Be careful! Since rockfish is quite lean, it can be prone to overcooking and drying out. For a zingy and fun rockfish dinner, try Rockfish with Sizzling Ginger Sauce — you’ll thank us later!
Know Your Fishermen
Featured June Fishermen and Partners
Stu Weathers, F/V El Tiburon
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Stu started fishing for halibut and sablefish alongside his stepfather back when he was in high school. When, at the age of 25, he decided he was ready to begin captaining his own boat, Stu’s stepfather sold him the 53-foot-long F/V El Tiburon. “I can’t think of a better way to make a living than catching fish with your buddies,” he says. As a fisherman, Stu goes the extra mile to ensure that he’s bringing in the best fish possible — a standard that he says is maintained by Sitka Salmon Shares. “When you work with large processors, they might give you a pat on the back,” he says, “but they don’t always take the best care of your fish once they’re in their hands.” Sitka Salmon Shares’ commitment to quality matches his own.
Brett Zaenglein, F/V Ida Lee, F/V Gretchen
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Brett is a long-time Sitka resident with roots in the Midwest and the Southwest. Now with nearly three decades as a fisherman, Brett brings experience and wisdom to our fleet. His focus on quality and care for the fish aligns with ours perfectly. “I enjoy eating and making good quality food because of the garbage we are so often fed,” he says. “I mean, we are over 7 billion on this planet, so there is a need for some commercial farming, but what are the costs? What is the actual cost of the health problems, the sterilization of the soils, the killing off of the bees? There is value to feeding ourselves better. It may cost us more up front for that wild salmon, but look at the health benefits, the brain power, and the quality of life in the long run.”
Mark & Dawn Young, F/V Bella Dawn
Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Sitka, Alaska
For Mark and Dawn, catching fish has been a family affair. The couple have been navigating the waters of Southeast Alaska together since the 1980s and their daughters grew up fishing with them on their vessel the F/V Bella Dawn. We’re proud to count them among our Sitka Salmon Shares fishing fleet family. Get to know them in their Boat Deck Cookin’ video!
Glenn Crocetti, F/V Marantha
Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Kodiak, Alaska
Glenn grew up on dairy farms on the East Coast and started fishing in New England around the age of 19. He came to Alaska at the age of 21 and continues to live there with his wife and two kids (with another on the way). Glen enjoys rockfish tacos with cilantro and lime, a good hot salsa, and cabbage. He says that when combined with some beers, it’s a recipe for a good time with friends. Glenn caught your rockfish using “jig” gear, which is an artisan, hook-and-line, low-impact fishing method highly conducive to quality fish.
Leonard Carpenter & Family, F/V Fish Tale
Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Kodiak, Alaska
The Carpenter family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over 20 years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high volume, industrialized fishing as a crew. Their goal is to build a sustainable, small-scale fishing business that is mindful of our resources and our environment — the type of business that they could share and build together as a family, and not be apart for long stretches of the year.
Copper River Seafoods
Trusted Partner in Southcentral Alaska
Copper River Seafoods was founded by four Alaskan fishermen in 1996. With processing plants located in Cordova, Anchorage, Naknek (Bristol Bay), Kenai, Togiak, and Kotzebue, the company is recognized today as a premier producer of high quality Alaska seafood with a deep commitment to the state of Alaska.
Member Newsletter
This past year we have all benefited from invisible labor. Our economy would screech to a halt without the service workers who deliver our mail, meals, and medicine. Tendermen hold a similar crucial, invisible yet life improving role for our fishing fleet. Our tendermen play a critical role in our fleet, but their names don’t appear on your fillets of fish or pouches of crab. This month, we’d like to share their story with you, our members. Read about our tendermen and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Your May Sitka Whitefish Share is projected to include 4.5 to 5 pounds of:
Kodiak Alaska Pacific cod (~8 to 16-ounce portions, blast-frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught with hook-and-line “jig” gear. Delicate and flaky, Pacific cod is wonderful fried, sautéed, baked, or broiled. We love our Pacific cod sautéed and served with pan sauces, battered or breaded and fried for fish and chips, fish sandwiches, or Baja-style tacos, or simply baked with vegetables for sheet-pan suppers. Like halibut, Pacific cod is lean, so be careful not to overcook! A generous pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil goes a long way toward a perfect piece of flaky Pacific cod goodness.
Alaska Sablefish (black cod)* (~8- to 16-ounce portions, blast-frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin on, and deboned with a center cut) caught in pots or by longline and filleted at our Sitka plant or by our trusted partners at Copper River Seafoods.
Sablefish has a mild buttery-sweet flavor and a medium-firm texture with large flakes. It’s also rather rich, with a higher fat content than other white fish — the good, heart healthy fats, so don’t let the richness scare you! Sablefish is absolutely mouthwatering when sautéed with crispy skin and served with bright, acidic sauces like chimichurri, citrusy pan sauces, vinaigrettes, capers, and lemon.
*Note: About 1 in 100 sablefish have a characteristic known as “jelly belly.” These fish lack an enzyme that makes their meat hold up to the heat of cooking. As a result, a sablefish with jelly belly will disintegrate while cooking. It poses no health risk to consume it, however it is likely not considered edible due to how mushy the fish will become upon cooking. We realize it is a bummer when this happens and can throw a wrench in dinner plans! Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to detect “jelly belly” when we fillet and inspect the fish. If you get a piece of sablefish like this, please call us at 309-342-FISH (3474) or email us at salmonsupport@sitkasalmonshares.com and we will replace your fish right away.
Know Your Fishermen
Stu Weathers, F/V El Tiburon - Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Stu started fishing for halibut and sablefish alongside his stepfather back when he was in high school. When, at the age of 25, he decided he was ready to begin captaining his own boat, Stu’s stepfather sold him the 53-foot-long F/V El Tiburon. “I can’t think of a better way to make a living than catching fish with your buddies,” he says. As a fisherman, Stu goes the extra mile to ensure that he’s bringing in the best fish possible — a standard that he says is maintained by Sitka Salmon Shares. “When you work with large processors, they might give you a pat on the back,” he says, “but they don’t always take the best care of your fish once they’re in their hands.” Sitka Salmon Shares’ commitment to quality matches his own.
Brett Zaenglein, F/V Ida Lee - Sitka Salmon Shares Fisherman-Owner in Sitka, Alaska
Brett is a long-time Sitka resident with roots in the Midwest and the Southwest. Now with nearly three decades as a fisherman, Brett brings experience and wisdom to our fleet. His focus on quality and care for the fish aligns with ours perfectly. “I enjoy eating and making good quality food because of the garbage we are so often fed,” he says. “I mean, we are over 7 billion on this planet, so there is a need for some commercial farming, but what are the costs? What is the actual cost of the health problems, the sterilization of the soils, the killing off of the bees? There is value to feeding ourselves better. It may cost us more up front for that wild salmon, but look at the health benefits, the brain power, and the quality of life in the long run.”
Mark & Dawn Young, F/V Bella Dawn - Sitka Salmon Shares Fishermen-Owners in Sitka, Alaska
For Mark and Dawn, catching salmon is a family affair. Their youngest daughter, Kaisha, often fishes with them on the F/V Bella Dawn, while their eldest daughter, Chelsea, is a Salmon Shares fisherman-owner and captains the F/V Lorelai Bell alongside her husband, Dustin. Dawn and Mark have been navigating the waters of Southeast Alaska together since the 1980s. We’re proud to count them among our Sitka Salmon Shares fishing fleet family. Get to know them in their Boat Deck Cookin’ video!
Kodiak Island WildSource - Trusted Partner in Kodiak, Alaska
Kodiak Island WildSource is a quality-focused seafood processor in the rich western Gulf of Alaska waters and is 100%-owned by the Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak Island. The Sun'aq Tribe is an Alutiiq tribe whose roots on Kodiak Island and the surrounding Alaska Peninsula date back over 8,000 years. This tribal enterprise custom processes rockfish and Pacific cod from our fleet of Kodiak fishermen-owners and partner fishermen on behalf of Sitka Salmon Shares.
Copper River Seafoods - Trusted Partner in Alaska
Copper River Seafoods was founded by four Alaskan fishermen in 1996. With processing plants located in Cordova, Anchorage, Naknek (Bristol Bay), Kenai, Togiak, and Kotzebue, the company is recognized today as a premier producer of Alaska seafood with a deep commitment to the state of Alaska.
Member Newsletter
This month’s The Catch features the story of our fishermen in Kodiak, Alaska. As the world grapples with a broken industrial seafood system, we can’t think of a better story to illustrate the stark difference between small-scale and industrial fishing. If you haven’t been to Kodiak, it is an other-worldly place, almost alien-like with its lack of trees, a massive wind farm hanging over the city’s mountain tops, and its fleet of trawlers in the harbor. Read about our Kodiak fishermen and more in this months issue of The Catch.
Projected Harvest
Pacific Cod
Southeast Alaska Pacific cod (8 to 16-ounce portions, frozen, vacuum-sealed, skin off, and boneless) caught in pots by local fishermen and filleted by our trusted partner at Alaska Glacier Seafoods in Juneau, Alaska. This Pacific cod comes from a relatively small Southeast Alaska fishery, typically fished by only about 15 small boats during the winter months. Delicate and flaky, Pacific cod is wonderful fried, sauteéd, baked, or broiled.
Know Your Fishermen
Alaska Glacier Seafoods - Trusted Partner in Juneau, Alaska
Owned and operated by the Erickson family, Alaska Glacier Seafoods is located just north of Sitka in Juneau and is a Southeast Alaska trusted partner that is committed to responsible harvesting that leads to high quality, wild Alaska seafood.
Member Newsletter
We begin the 11th season of our Community Supported Fishery with a story in The Catch of Cale LaDuke’s harrowing shipwreck last season. A Sitka Salmon Shares fisherman since 2018, Cale’s experience reminds us of the dangers our fishermen face in the wild and the resilience that a community’s support brings to operations like Cale’s. Read about Cale's experience and more in this months issue of The Catch.