The Short of It
Our smoked salmon won 2 awards at the nationwide Good Food Awards competition where products are judged by a tasting panel of foodie judges and then also tediously vetted to ensure that all ingredients along with production practices are mindful of people and planet.
As the solo-founder, owner and fisher(wo)man behind Copper River Fish Market, I was honored to be chosen to speak during the awards ceremony and used the opportunity to highlight the fact that independent small-boat fishers provide the public with access to perhaps the last major food source not owned and controlled by corporations.
The Long of It
I took a whirlwind trip down to Portland, OR to participate in the 2024 Good Food Awards.
It was a squeeze but I fit it in between shoveling snow and preparing to launch our fishing boat for the upcoming season.
So many good things happened on the trip. Not the least of them being that on the night of the awards ceremony I had dark chocolate covered honeycomb! I did not know that such a life altering flavor combination even existed.
We were thrilled that Copper River Fish Market had two smoked products selected as finalists. The judges gave top marks to our Log Cabin smoke-style and Radiant Sky smoke-style Copper River Salmon.
After scoring highly for flavor, taste and texture we were vetted in depth to determine we met the Good Food Awards criteria of only using clean ingredients sourced with consideration for people and planet. No problem there! Especially since our ingredient sourcing begins on our boat, where we hand-select each of the fish to be used in our smoked products.
As the solo-owner, founder and fisher(wo)man behind Copper River Fish Market I was pleased, honored and terrified when I was approached to speak out about small-boat fishers during the awards ceremony.
I used the opportunity to highlight the importance of how small-boat fishers are a diverse group of micro-businesses that operate independently of each other while providing a collective benefit to the public of providing crucial access to the last major food source not owned and controlled by corporations.
Ever since I was a little kid working on my Mom or Dad’s boat I have been really satisfied with the back breaking nature of fishing because we are feeding people. It’s worth it to me to be cold and miserable if a good meal will come from the efforts. To know that folks will be nourished from our work is my biggest reward.
The modern day manipulations made to even our most basic foods include additives, omissions and bizarre allowances for commercial scale food production that just don’t make sense beyond the lobbyist and political agendas that allow them. But I digress…
In today’s skewed food system, more than ever I am pleased to offer a delicious and nutritious smoked seafood product that has been produced with great care and reverence for not only the fish we catch but also for the good people who choose to think before they eat. I know for a fact that the people that enjoy our offerings are some of the smartest and most heart-forward on the planet.
And that is why I continue to get out there. Cold, wet and tired. It’s worth it to me when a good meal is enjoyed afterward. Cheers, to the fish and the people who make my little seafood business a success!
PS If you haven’t tried our smoked salmon yet, it now has the awards to back-up my long standing stance that it’s pretty awesome!
It’s incredibly convenient as a on-hand pantry item that only needs refrigeration after opening. Great for sharing at picnics, impromptu get-togethers or last minute gifting. Equally fantastic enjoyed ala-solo for a satisfying and healthful meal with zero cooking and minimal clean up.