Yukon River King Salmon - 10-11 pounds

Extreemly hard to get. In fact, we have been trying for the last 3 years and have yet to be successful. The opener is usually in late June or early July -- and is extremely short. Usually only a few days. But the run has been extremely compromised the last few years. So much so, that little of the fish was available for us small pervayors.

But you never know -- 2012 might be our lucky year.

If you decide you want to give it a try -- place your order now. And we will try our best. We will let you know if the Yakutat Salmon becomes available and make sure the timing works for you before we send it along.

* PRICE INCLUDES EXPEDITED SHIPPING*

**Available ONLY late June. Yukon River salmon have a very short run.

Wild Yukon River King Salmon has even more of those healthy Omega3s than Copper River salmon! Testing has shown that they have up to 34% oil content, which gives the Yukon Kings a distinct, wonderfully marbled texture and unforgettable flavor, unmatched by any other salmon. So if you love that rich, salmon flavor, this is the one for you. But don't wait - the season is very short!

Preparation and Cooking
With salmon this good, preparation is a snap. We recommend grilling - it's easy, quick and you can't beat the flavor. First, season the fish with sea salt and pepper, and then grill skin-side down until just cooked through. (No flipping needed.)

About Wild Yukon River Salmon
We ship the finest Wild Alaskan Yukon River King Salmon caught by Yup'ik Eskimos. Yup'ik fishermen of the Western Yukon River Delta have been fishing for Wild Yukon River Salmon for over 10,000 years. Their salmon comes from the saltwater gateway of the Yukon River where fish are still vibrant and full of healthy oils, making them the most desirable king salmon in the world.

The Yukon Kings travel, in some cases, over 2000 miles to the spawning grounds. Because of this long distance, Yukon Kings enter the river with a very high oil content which they then burn as they travel to their remote spawning grounds.

Wild Salmon caught by native Alaskans - the Yup'ik Eskimos
The Yup'ik culture is rich in tradition and ritual. Having come to Alaska some 10,000 years ago, the Lower Yukon Delta is now home to 9,000 Yup'ik Eskimos. Once a year, the rivers become rich with salmon runs that sustain the Yup'ik populations in the area. This abundance supported the development and spread of the culture thousands of years ago leading some to call this coastline the "cradle of Eskimo civilization."

"Fishing is the root of the culture and livelihood of the Yup'ik people. Fishing binds their people and communities together and provides the necessary income and equipment for them to subsistence fish, hunt and gather food."
Ragnar Alstrom
Executive Director, Kwikpak Fisheries

About the Kwik'Pak Fisheries
Kwik'pak Fisheries was formed in 2002 and is a buyer and processor of Wild Yukon River Salmon from the Lower Yukon River in a remote area of western Alaska. Kwik'pak is solely owned by Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association, a non-profit CDQ (Community Development Quota) group. Over the past 25 year there have always been many salmon buyers in the Lower Yukon area, with up to 12 separate companies buying fish yearly during the 1980s. However, with the downturn in the fisheries business in Alaska, the number of fish buyers had decreased to only two. Kwik'pak was formed to help guarantee a long-term buyer, processor and market for the Wild Yukon River Salmon caught by over 700 lower Yukon River area residents.

The goal of Kwik'pak is to not only provide the highest price to the fishermen, but to provide for the community by increasing income and the standard of living to Yukon Delta households. Kwik'pak's goal is to process salmon in the local villages, which will provide jobs for local residents and stimulus for the local economy. In addition, there are many other programs in place to benefit the Lower Yukon region, a great many of which are sponsored by YDFDA.

YDFDA provides fishing jobs, internships, scholarship awards, training classes, help in starting businesses and development of other fisheries as well as investing in the future of the area.

Availability:
* Yukon River King is only available 2-3 weeks every year - usually in mid- to late June. Our shipment this year (2010) is scheduled for the week of June 28th. So order now - don't miss it!

Important Shipping Information:
* Please plan to be available on delivery day, so that your salmon doesn't have to sit outside in hot weather. We will email you the day the salmon ship so you know when to expect it.
* Call us (800.596.0885) for shipping charges to Alaska or Hawaii. We are unable to ship fresh fish to international destinations.
*If your order includes both fresh fish and other items, the fish will ship separately and you will be charged our regular ground shipping for the non-perishable items.
* We ship all orders early in the week (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday) - so that they arrive to you before the weekend. Please place your order by Friday to be shipped the following week.
* We try our best to update you once we know what day you can expect the salmon to arrive. This is the first year we have offered the Yukon River program, so we are not sure how the communication will go. Feel free to call us (800-596-0885) or email us (shopkeeper@chefshop.com) if you have any questions.