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A helicopter carrying the season’s first catch
of wild Copper River king salmon touched down right outside the King Salmon
Restaurant at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge on Friday.
This special event helped kick off the 2015 Alaska season and guests from around
the world.
The 2015 Copper River king salmon fishing season opened May 14 at 7 a.m. in
Cordova, Alaska, and after a long day on the water fishermen could still be seen
bringing in their catch late into the night.
Local processor Copper River Seafoods prepared its first shipment of fish to be
flown on an Alaska Airlines jet to Anchorage, where it was loaded onboard an Era
Aviation helicopter. The chopper flew to a helipad near the Denali Princess
Wilderness Lodge, to deliver the fish to the restaurant for preparation by Chef
Jeff Elliott.
“Fresh, wild seafood remains one of the top draws for Princess guests visiting
Alaska and salmon is an important part of the Alaska lifestyle, both culturally
and as a dietary staple,” said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises. “The
opening day of the Copper River salmon season is a very exciting time for our
guests staying at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge who have the opportunity
to participate in a true Alaska tradition.”
A camera crew followed the fish from the moment nets pulled them up in Cordova
and captured the full journey to Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, along with
the salmon’s preparation at King Salmon Restaurant.
The first-catch shipment of Copper River salmon is a prestigious and highly
anticipated annual ritual in which Alaska Airlines flies more than 20,000 pounds
of the season’s “first fish” to Seattle and Anchorage. For the last three years,
the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge has received part of the catch and served
fresh king salmon to lodge guests on arrival.
Copper River king salmon, identified by the meat’s deep red hue and a
melt-in-your mouth texture, is a highly coveted fish by chefs and salmon lovers
alike thanks to its exceptional flavor and high nutritious value. Also known as
Chinook, the king salmon travel 300 miles from the Pacific Ocean along the
waters of the Copper River to reach their spawning grounds near Cordova. |
