Review: Sitka Salmon Shares – What Makes Them Different

Our family loves supporting our local fishermen and the bounty that the Atlantic Ocean provides. We usually don’t buy seafood from the local grocery store, preferring to go to a select few local seafood stores where the catch of the day is brought in every morning from local fishermen.

For those that love fresh, wild-caught fish but don’t live in an area where that freshness is available, that’s where Sitka Salmon Shares comes in. They are a completely integrated boat-to-doorstep seafood company with a loveable group of fishermen-owners who deliver their fish.

So how does it work?

The fishermen catch your fish. Sitka Salmon has a small processing plant in (where else?) Sitka, Alaska, where they custom-process the catch with a laser focus on quality and traceability. They also have two Good-Fish-Hubs in the Midwest, which allows them to deliver their fishermen’s catch directly to your doorstep (or to your local farmers market or restaurant). The collective efforts of the community are allowing them to rebuild America’s seafood system from the ground up, as all of them actively support responsibly sourced seafood and independent family fishermen who fish in much the same way their grandparents did.

CSF members purchase their very own “shares” of the harvest. Similar to preorders or vegetable shares ordered through your favorite CSA, these purchases determine how much fish their fishermen catch! After that, CSF members receive a monthly home seafood delivery – their “share” – of our wild Alaska catch, ranging from 4.5-5lbs per month and starting at up to 9 months during the CSF season (April thru December).

The fish included in each monthly box depends on the fishing season and where fishermen are able to fish. You receive a seasonal selection of the species shown on their website each month. Since the fishermen catch fish seasonally (and shellfish) and within the limits of what the ocean provides, they offer projections for what the fishermen will catch rather than guarantees. You can always learn what is included in the monthly box on their Projected Harvest page. Being able to remain flexible is key to their CSF.

I received two boxes – one which contained Coho Salmon and Halibut, and the other contained Coho Salmon and Lingcod. If you want to see what is currently available for the 2021 shares, you can CLICK HERE.

While they cannot guarantee particular species – they can promise you the following:

• You will receive a box (4.5 to 5 pounds) of fish a month, depending on the fishing conditions. Family Shares will receive 2 boxes (9 to 10 pounds). Neighborhood Shares will receive 3 boxes (13.5 to 15 pounds)
• Your fish are caught with love and care by small-boat family fishermen, many of whom are owners of the company, and who take great pride in harvesting the best fish for you
• You will be completely satisfied with anything and everything you receive from Sitka Salmon Shares. If you aren’t just let them know and they will refund your purchase price or replace your fish with something you’d be happier with that they catch

It’s really that simple!

Premium Sitka Seafood Share – 7 Deliveries – $129 per month

Savor an entire fishing season that includes the most prized seafood harvested in pristine Alaska and North Pacific waters by our fishermen owners and trusted partners. Our most popular offering provides the most support for our fishermen and the best value for you. The Premium Sitka Seafood Share is the only share projected to include king salmon, Bairdi crab*, and albacore tuna, as well as double the halibut and sablefish (black cod) of any other share. We anticipate these choice offerings will be mixed with a medley of Sitka coho salmon, Bristol Bay sockeye salmon, Pacific cod, and Dungeness crab*. (* if you aren’t a shellfish eater, just choose the no shellfish option when you order)

One Time Box Options – The Freezer Seafood Sampler – Prices Vary

Don’t want to commit to a whole season? Then check out the Freezer Seafood Sampler boxes where you can purchase one-time boxes that are still remaining in stock.

Recipes and Cooking Tips

Unlike most places, they don’t just send you your fish and leave you hanging. We don’t eat a lot of salmon, so I honestly don’t know how to properly cook it other than what I watch on Hell’s Kitchen LOL! When I received our 2 boxes, I also received an absolutely delicious recipe for Bridgette’s Coho Ceviche.

Bridgette and her husband Isaac are Sitka Salmon Shares fishermen-owners and co-captains of the F/V Alaska. What I absolutely love about this recipe is that it requires NO COOKING.

Print Recipe

Bridgette’s Coho Ceviche

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Eats and Drinks

Cuisine: Fish

Servings: 4

Calories: 297kcal

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound Coho Salmon skin removed & cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 5 limes juiced & divided
• 1 orange juiced & divided
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 jalapeno or fresno pepper seeded & minced
• 1 medium shallot minced
• 1 to mato diced
• 1 avocado diced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• salt + pepper to taste
• tortilla chips for serving

Instructions

• "Cook" the Coho – in a medium size bowl, combine the coho cubes with the juice of half an orange and 3-4 limes. The lime and orange juice should cover the coho. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Add Flavorings – after the coho has "cooked" for 30 minutes, pour out the lime and orange juice from the bowl. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, juice of 1/2 lime, 3 tablespoons orange juice (from the other half of the orange), and season with salt + pepper to taste.
• Serve as an appetizer with tortilla chips

Notes

Bridgette’s Pro Tip: The lime and orange juice "cook" the fish in the refrigerator. 30 minutes will give the fish a medium-rare preparation, but if you prefer your fish more well done with a less delicate texture, marinate it for up to 2 hours. Conversely, if you like it rare, cut the marinate time to 10 minutes.

Readers of Life in a House can use our discount code LIAHFish to get a percentage off whichever package you choose to purchase.

Why We Love Sitka Salmon Shares

I could literally spend HOURS on their website checking everything out. Go take a look at their website and you’ll see what we mean. If you aren’t sure what the different types of fish are that they catch during a season – you can find that on the Know Your Fish page. Want to know who is out there catching your fish? Check out the Our Fishermen page and learn more about everyone.

Another feature I absolutely love is that your fish delivery is 100% traceable. Seriously! They can trace the exact fish to the exact boat that caught it and know exactly what fishing grounds your fish came from. No secrets. Sitka Salmon Shares also owns and controls its entire seafood supply chain. The hooks, the fillet knife, to the trucks delivering the fish – Sitka Salmon Shares can monitor the entire process as it is sold directly to you, the consumer.

Visit their website, or connect with them on social media on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Don’t forget to use our special discount code on your order – LIAHFish – and save! If you still aren’t convinced that wild-caught salmon is the way to go (versus farm salmon), read this article and see the difference.

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