Taste of Alaska: Bristol Bay Wild Salmon

This is what Alaska tastes like. Fresh, wild, sustainable. Like the land itself. Bolder, richer, more exquisite. Here, nature is first class, from our grizzlies to our glaciers, from our fish to our forests. And nowhere exemplifies that better than Bristol Bay. Bristol Bay is the salmon factory of the world, a fish production plant perfectly designed by nature and strengthened by 10,000 years of Indigenous stewardship. Thousands of nutrient-rich lakes connect to braided, snow-fed rivers, providing the ideal nursery for baby salmon to grow before venturing out to the ocean - the bountiful feeding grounds between the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. The result is the largest wild salmon run on earth, providing nearly half of the sockeye salmon consumed across the globe each year. For more than 130 years, the region's certified-sustainable fishery has delivered wild salmon and its health benefits to markets around the world. Packed with vitamins, antioxidants and omega-3s, it's not only delicious, but also good for our brains and our hearts. Before landing in restaurants, these salmon feed the region's Rainbow trout, Dolly Varden and Arctic char, making Bristol Bay the ultimate, exclusive sportfishing destination. Anglers from near and far journey to the bay's crystalline streams, casting for that trophy fish. Photographers come here too, for the rolling tundra dotted with wildflowers and famously fat bears. And throughout the watershed, people belonging to some of the last remaining salmon-based cultures on the planet set their nets at ancestral sites, pulling in the salmon that are so important to their lives and traditions. There aren't many places left like Bristol Bay, and unless we take steps to protect it now, this salmon stronghold may vanish too, because beneath its winding rivers lie valuable minerals like gold and copper. Efforts to mine in the watershed haven't been successful yet. But new permit applications are under review right now. And as long as the watershed lacks permanent protections, the threat remains. Bristol Bay is already rich in abundance. If this treasure is plundered, it cannot be replaced. This is not the place for a mine. Following the lead of our Yup'ik, Alutiiq and Dena’ina partners, TNC is working to permanently protect Bristol Bay from large scale mining through policy and by fostering sustainable economic and community development. By joining us, you too can help preserve Bristol Bay's wild salmon for future generations.