The Crew: Riley Starks, Dave Hansen,Keith Carpenter, Tom Munroe and more.

Year Founded: 2002.

Fishing Grounds: Salish Sea, Samish Bay, Skagit River, Lummi Island, Haro Strait.

The Catch: King Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Coho Salmon, Halibut, Albacore Tuna, Black Cod.

Fishing Practices: Net fishing using only the flood tide and an artificial reef; reducing trauma by transferring their catch to a netted live well with flowing seawater; their nets are operated by solar-powered electrical motors; all unwanted bycatch is released. Year after year, the fishery preserves the fishing grounds by using the same net locations, thus eliminating unnecessary environmental impact and keeping their carbon footprint as small as possible.

Accolades: Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program designated Lummi Island Wild salmon a Green rated Best Choice option in 2013, the first and only Green rated wild salmon fishery outside of Alaska.

Fun Fact: The Lummi Tribe was forced to abandon its reefnet fishing practices in the early 1900s when Europeans began using fish traps to intercept the salmon. The traditional methods were reinstituted by Lummi Island Wild crews in 2014 in an effort to become more sustainable with the least environmental impact possible.

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We’re awarding Lummi Island Wild the gold medal in the category of Sustainable Fishing in the Pacific Northwest. This fishery represents the best of the region’s seafaring heritage with a stunning selection of wild-caught Coho Salmon, Tuna, Cod, and Halibut. And when we say “heritage” we mean they use the same reefnet techniques as used by the indigenous fishing communities of the Pacific Northwest. These sustainable, ethical, and responsible crews are a big deal to us, and it’s why they’ll always be standing at the top of the podium in our eyes.

It’s not hard to see why Lummi Island counts itself among the “Top 10 Most Sustainable Fisheries in the World.” Their cooperative effort with Lummi Nation Tribal members involves catching fish respectfully and responsibly to preserve and protect the cherished creatures and the waters they swim in for generations to come.

They use only the flood tide, catching schools of salmon in their nets as they swim along an artificial reef, then carefully transferring them to a netted live well with flowing seawater; their nets are operated by solar-powered electrical motors. Once in the well, the salmon are able to rest and release any built-up lactic acid from their flesh. At this point, all unwanted bycatch is released before the salmon are eventually bled individually and placed in an ice tote.

Year after year, the fishery preserves the fishing grounds by using the same net locations, thus eliminating unnecessary environmental impact and keeping their carbon footprint as small as possible.

We encourage you to visit Lummi Island Wild’s website to learn even more about this world-class operation — but for now, we’ll leave you with this friendly reminder that Seattle customers can enjoy the fresh catch from one of the most sustainable fisheries on the planet!

Photo Source: Lummi Island Wild