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Stay connected and keep up with the latest news from Authentic Indigenous Seafood by following us on our social media channels! You can follow us on Instagram or on Facebook! We regularly share updates about our sustainable seafood products, Indigenous fishing practices, and exciting new offerings. Our platforms are a great way to engage with our community, learn about the stories behind our seafood, and discover tips for preparing and enjoying our products. By joining our online family, you’ll be the first to know about special promotions, events, and initiatives that support both local fisheries and environmental sustainability.

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The word Tsu-ma-uss comes from a Nuu-chah-nulth word meaning "washing", but we know it from the Tsu-ma-uss Seafoods brand owned by Tseshaht and Hupacasath from Port Alberni and Barkley Sound, and the local Somass River name that is derived from it. Located on the south-west corner of Vancouver Island, Tseshaht and Hupacasath fisheries also include the ecologically-rich “Broken Group” archipelago that opens from the sound into the Pacific Ocean between Ucluelet and Bamfield and the rich diversity of seafoods it produces. The salmon fishery is a local tradition embracing Indigenous cultures, this region’s breathtaking scenic rugged coastline vistas, and one of the most sustainably managed marine salmon harvests in BC. This is highlighted by Ocean Wise recommendations in 2024, and the hard work of the local Barkley Sound co-management round-table that includes Tseshaht and Hupacasath. Robertson Creek hatchery is at the head of the inlet’s local chinook salmon fishery on the Somass River. The success of local management is demonstrated by healthy returns of chinook and coho salmon to the hatchery which are harvested by Tsu-ma-uss Seafoods once the FSC, commercial and sport fisheries are accommodated, and wild escapement and hatchery demands have been met. Remarkably, the surplus hatchery harvest supports a popular fresh and frozen coho and chinook fillet market, a delicious chinook candy nugget that is the pride of Rocky Mountain Railroad, a delicious maple smoked wild chinook retort product, and a shelf stable candied coho and chinook product that is popular in most gas stations and small stores on the Island, can now be found in major grocery stores across Canada, and is exported around the world. Now that’s Authentic Indigenous seafood! Visit https://authenticindigenousseafood.ca/fisheries/tsu-ma-uss-seafoods/ for more information on this fishery. #tseshaht #hupacasath #indigenous #indigenousseafood #indigenousproducts #seafood #canadianseafood #lovefish #seafoodlove #localseafood #salmon #fisheries
Our northern BC sockeye fishery tour took a 1.5-hour route from Smithers to the west shore of Lake Babine, BC’s longest freshwater lake. Guided by Fishery Operations Manager Kyle Peters, we used radio call-ins to navigate safely past logging trucks on this busy road. In Tachet, we met Brittany Mathew, Executive Director for Lake Babine’s Talok Fisheries. Warm weather and low water cut short their harvest, so their contracted purse seiner was mobilized at the Fulton Spawning Channel to catch surplus sockeye. This channel, built by DFO between 1965 and 1971, spans over 5 kilometers and helps prevent overfishing of the diminished wild early sockeye runs into Babine Lake. Talok’s branding and value-added sockeye products with Authentic Indigenous Seafoods highlight the meat quality and profit potential of this fishery while protecting wild salmon from mixed-stock fisheries downstream. Chef Rob Clark filleted a sample of the catch, confirming its firm, deep red flesh rich in oil—ideal for canning or smoking. Cooked fresh over the campfire, it showcased the blend of traditional processing knowledge and modern culinary skills. Fort Babine’s traditional name, “Wit’at,” means “place of making dry fish.” The community produces a highly valued smoke-dried sockeye product called “Beh.” We were invited to witness a demonstration of traditional processing by a community elder at the nearby smokehouse. This modern fishery reflects progress toward reconciliation for actions taken by the Canadian government in the early 1900s when they removed the original Lake Babine Nation’s weirs in exchange for nets and other services. The loss of these weirs led to starvation and a violent confrontation in 1906. Today, compromises have evolved into a shared fishery that restores food, cultural, and economic security, reaffirming the significance of this place as a site for making dried fish. Learn more about Talok Fisheries here: https://authenticindigenousseafood.ca/fisheries/babine-select/ #Talok #babinelake #indigenous #indigenousseafood #indigenousproducts #seafood #canadianseafood #lovefish #seafoodlove #localseafood #salmon #fisheries
We recently visited a northern sockeye dipnet fishery at the historic Gitanyow fishing village of Lax An Zok (Meziadin Junction), located at the headwaters of the Nass River in Northern British Columbia. Accompanied by Chef Rob Clark, we discussed what makes this fishery unique. It is part of the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs' plan to restore healthy wild sockeye runs to the Meziadin watershed, which supplies over 75% of the Nass River’s sockeye. In 2021, the Chiefs designated the 54,000-hectare Meziadin watershed as the “Wilp Wii Litsxw Indigenous Protected Area.” Joel Starlund (Sk’a’nism Tsa ‘Win’Giit), Executive Director of the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs Council, shared that their mission is to provide high-quality salmon products from sustainable community-run fisheries and to reinvest proceeds into local salmon stewardship. At the fishery, we observed community dipnet fishers carefully selecting the best fish, dipping into the clear river water (photo 1) — just as they have for millennia. The catch is placed live in a cold, free-flowing side channel under the shade of birch trees (photo 2), allowing stress and lactic acid to dissipate before the fish are graded for restaurant quality (photo 3). Next, the fish is bled (photo 4) and then packed on ice (photo 5) for the four-hour journey to the processor in Prince Rupert. The flash-frozen catch from this traditional Gitanyow fishery is highly sought after, and it’s clear why these sockeye are regarded as some of the best in the world. Visit https://authenticindigenousseafood.ca/fisheries/gitanyow-fisheries/ to view Gitanyow's full profile! #gitanyow #indigenous #indigenousseafood #indigenousproducts #seafood #canadianseafood #lovefish #seafoodlove #localseafood #salmon #fisheries
River Select is now Authentic Indigenous Seafood! Authentic Indigenous Seafood is a co-op of Indigenous fisheries across Canada, featuring small to medium-sized enterprises that are guided by traditional principles of ecological sustainability. Our seafood products are always accurately labeled and fully traceable to their harvest sites. Our commitment to every customer is that all our products come with a unique QR code, providing insight into where their seafood came from and what makes each Indigenous fishery special. As a co-op, the fisheries own the company, and profits are shared among the communities. By enjoying our seafood, you are directly supporting these communities while promoting sustainable seafood harvest, and that’s what makes us Authentic Indigenous Seafood. #indigenous #indigenousseafood #indigenousproducts #seafood #lovefish #seafoodlove #localseafood #canadianseafood