On May 17, the first King Salmon from Copper River landed in Seattle on an Alaska Airlines flight direct from Alaska, marking the beginning of what industry leaders expect to be an above-average season for the fish.
Representatives from Trident Seafoods, the Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association, Alaska Airlines and Chef Tom Douglas were on-hand to greet the first of these fish.
With 50 years of industry leadership, Trident Seafoods distributes Copper River King Salmon, known for its high content of omega-3s. Following Trident’s commitment to fleet-to-fork processing, the salmon is delivered from Alaskan waters within 24-48 hours to fishmongers, esteemed chefs and renowned restaurants nationwide.
“We are very excited to bring in the first King Salmon from Copper River and are grateful for all the independent fishermen that continue to choose to be our partners and deliver the best quality and freshest fish to the world,” said Joe Bundrant, CEO of Trident Seafoods.
“Our history of partnership with Copper River goes back many years and we look forward to continuing working together in responsibly sharing the best from Alaska with the world.”
Christa Hoover, executive director of the Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association, reflects, “As this momentous season launches, we are so pleased that we’re also celebrating our 40th anniversary. It’s been incredible to see and let people know how much the fishery has evolved and yet remains steadfastly committed to quality for the consumer.”
To bring the fish to tables quickly, it’s imperative to have immediate transportation from Alaska to the rest of the country.
“Alaska Air Cargo has a special partnership with the Alaska seafood industry, which is recognized worldwide for its sustainable fishing practices,” said Adam Drouhard, managing director.
“Our cargo employees across more than 110 airports are working around the clock to ensure we deliver the first catch of wild Copper River salmon to market, often within 24 hours of being pulled from the water.”
Copper River King Salmon is available through June at retailers and restaurants across the country.
Trident Seafoods is the largest vertically integrated seafood harvesting and processing company in North America. Trident is a privately-held, 100 percent USA-owned company with global operations in six countries and serves customers in more than 50 countries.
Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Trident employs about 9,000 people worldwide each year and partners with more than 5,400 independent fishermen and crewmembers. Species harvested and processed by Trident include every commercial species of salmon, whitefish and crab harvested in the North Pacific and Alaska.
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