Does the price include shipping?
Yes, the price of all our products includes FedEx shipping from Homer, Alaska to any location in the continental United States. The fish will arrive frozen directly to your doorstep.
Where does my fish come from?
Citizen Salmon Alaska works with small boat fisherman in the rural Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet of the Southern Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. This is our home and we know our fishermen and the fishing grounds very well. Homer, Alaska is known as the halibut capital of the world, and the cosmic hamlet by the sea. Unfortunately, much of the fish sold at restaurants and stores is mislabeled and fraudulently sold as Wild Alaskan, but with us you always know where your fish is coming from! https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/29/science/though-labeled-wild-that-serving-of-salmon-may-be-farmed-or-faux.html
Why does Citizen Salmon Alaska’s seafood taste so much better?
Buying in small quantities daily enables us to fillet and blast freeze the fish in an extremely short period of time. Our fish move from boat to freezer in less than six hours, while most other companies are lucky to get their catch in the freezer in less than 48 hours. What this means is that we stop the degradation process more quickly and therefore lock in the freshest flavor and higher quality. More than half of Alaskan wild seafood is shipped to China for processing, going through multiple cycles of freezing and thawing that compromise its integrity and quality. https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-seafood-industry-vulnerable-to-tariffs-aimed-at-china-1533812400
Why does your seafood cost more?
If you compare our salmon to filets bought from a big-box store, you will notice that the quality is astronomically better. Our choice fillets are processed locally at the peak of freshness, rather than being processed cheaply internationally. We also pay our family fisherman a premium price above the standard “dock price” that the large processors pay. This helps ensure the livelihood of our local fishing families as well as ensuring our selection of their freshest prime catches of the day, right off the dock.
What happens if there’s a problem with shipping?
Citizen Salmon has 100% guarantee. If your order arrives in less than perfect condition, we will get another box on its way as soon as possible to replace it. Please photograph and email us pictures of compromised product immediately so we can get you replacement product. Feel free to call anytime we are always happy to talk you through the process.
Is your seafood sustainable?
We understand that is hard for you to confidently source sustainable seafood, so we hope that you will trust us in providing you responsibly harvested, sustainable seafood. Alaska is unique in that it is mandated in our state constitution to ensure sustainable fisheries, and many people in our state rely on the seafood harvest to feed their families and to earn their living. Our stewardship minded family fishermen help to ensure a that their harvest remain sustainable for generations to come. Since Alaska is so vigilant in ensuring sustainable harvest, we will occasionally see a fishery shut down early to ensure sufficient future sticks, especially with shrimp, copper river salmon and king salmon, meaning that out inventory will be limited, get it while you can!
My local CSA farm is offering a Community Supported Fishery (CSF) share to purchase,
but I’m confused about this since this fish is not “local”? Our family strives to eat local whenever possible, to support small business and reduce our carbon footprint. However, some of the delicacies that we enjoy in our everyday life are not available locally, such as coffee (which I can’t live without!). Our choice then is to not consume that product, or to seek out a source of that product that is sustainable and support the local community in which it is raised and harvested. Since 2/3 of all wild American seafood and 95% of all Wild Alaska Salmon is caught in Alaska, your CSA can connect with a our CSF in Alaska to provide you with the best fish in the world, while and at the same time supporting our local fishing families here in Alaska who rely on sales to the rest of the US to support their family.
Do your salmon fillets have bones?
Our salmon does have pin bones. Properly pulling pin bones without damaging the texture of the raw flesh requires the salmon to remain refrigerated for 2 to 3 days for the flesh to soften without tearing. We prefer to keep the fillets in their natural and beautiful state and preserve the freshness as much possible. Removing pin bones after your fish is thawed or after it is cooked is very simple. Here in Alaska, for our personal use harvest for own families we always keep the pin bones intact and remove them after cooking. They are soft and flexible and easy to remove and will not harm you if you accidentally eat them.
See for a video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1Q6xfl-MLw
Do I have to sign up for a subscription?
We don’t have subscriptions here at Citizen Salmon Alaska. If we have something in stock, it’s yours to order. Please feel free to contact us if you want to build a custom order and we will be happy to accommodate your desires. We love making custom boxes to fit your needs.
How much fish should I order?
On average, if two people eat once per week then you will need about 50 pounds a year. Double that for a family of four.
Is your fish sushi grade?
Yes, by utilizing 40 below blast freezers and allowing three days of freezing time, our fish is safe to eat as raw sushi.
What’s the difference between farmed and wild salmon?
There are places in the world that farmed seafood is an ecologically sensible choice, however, prized pacific salmon species are only available from wild caught stocks. Pacific salmon has a color and flavor that farmed Atlantic salmon cannot compare too. It is important to remember that Atlantic salmon farmed on the pacific are a threat to wild salmon runs because the Atlantic salmon can escape and threaten our wild salmon species as an invasive species, as well as spreading disease to the native populations.