• 3 chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon of oregano
• 1 teaspoon of chopped dill
• 2 chopped shallots
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon of lemon Juice
• Aluminum foil

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and click on the video

• 1 Salmon Fillet (1-2 lbs)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Mayonnaise
• 1 lemon
• 1 package of fresh dill
• 1/4 cup of water
• aluminum foil

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and then click on the video

Locals really like it when there is wind as this offers a small reprieve of the relentless swarm.  Insects will follow fishermen more than 100 yards into the water.  This was taken at the end of a 3 day visit in the area.

• 1 cup of Orange Juice
• 1.5 table spoons of lime juice
• 1 teaspoon of chili pepper
• 1 teaspoon of honey dijon mustard
• 1.5 tablespoons of minced onion
• .5 cup of italian dressing
• 1 table spoon of olive oil
• salt and pepper
• and of course… 1-2 salmon fillets (approx 2 lbs)

Make sure you have the following equipment:

• 1 pan
• 1 blender
• 1 skillet

Set the oven to 400 degrees and then press play…

Since then, he has come back to the same place every summer for nearly 35 years.  Victor is one of the fishermen that we purchase fish from.  In these two videos, he is explaining about his life while unloading fish for us.  Enjoy!

Ty Stafford, director of Fishing operations, explains how to tell if a fish is good enough to make it to our processor.  Toward the end of the video, the wind is very strong and drwons out a few sylables but overall, you get the idea of what we go through.

There are three tests he discusses:

1) Firmness

2) Gils

3) Scales

1.    The measure itself was imperfect and led to much interpretation
2.    The opponents of the measure outspent proponents by more than a 3/1 margin
3.    Voters were left confused by the barrage of ads on both sides
4.    Most importantly, Governor Sarah Palin speaking as a “private person” announced she would vote “no” just days before the vote

The fight for Bristol Bay is in its initial phase.  The proposition was an aggressive move at a preemptive strike that met stiff opposition from the mining interests.  What is next?

Northern Dynasty Partnership and Anglo American US (Pebble) LLC, the two companies behind the Pebble initiative will most likely continue “scientific exploration” and formally apply for mining permits in 2010.  If the Pebble Partnership were to sail through the regulatory process, we could see mining beginning as early as 2013.  Between now and then, there will be several times that the project will be challenged.

The opponents of the mine do have some time to continue mounting a public campaign to bring awareness to the risk this project poses for the region.  Already, 5 major jewelers: Ben Bridge Jeweler, Fortunoff, Helzberg Diamonds, Chicago independent Leber Jeweler and Tiffany and Co. have announced that they will be boycotting the purchase of any Gold produced at Pebble.

The danger that lies ahead for the opponents is that Alaska’s regulatory process was weakened by the previous pro-mining Governor, Frank Murkowski.  He restructured the permitting process that took authority away from departments that can analyze this initiative based on the science of impacts of mining and the environment and instead put this power in departments that can be easier manipulated through the political process.

We will be following major developments as they occur.

The Alaska Daily News has a great explanation of the role of salmon in Alaska’s drive to become the 49th state of the United States.  Prior to statehood, the federal government had over 600 very efficient traps set to catch fish throughout the state.  According to fishing historian Bob King:

“Alaskans hated the traps with a passion right from the beginning because they took jobs and revenues out of the communities. Alaskans wanted to be out catching those fish themselves,” King said.

“When the state constitution was being crafted in 1955-56, the delegates did not want to micro-manage fisheries so they didn’t ban fish traps outright,” he continued. “But they did put in a clause that said there will be no exclusive right of fishery allowed in the state. And they put in the model principles of sustained yield and management that Alaska follows today.”

Click here for the whole article.