Tristan Baptiste-Hall sells freshly caught sockeye salmon from a stand at the Petro Canada station for the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre. (Richard McGuire photo)
It would be hard to get sockeye salmon much fresher unless you caught it yourself.
The Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre is selling freshly caught salmon each afternoon from a stand in front of the Petro Canada station on the east side of town.
Sales run from 2 to 5 p.m., however, often the salmon sells out before 5 p.m. The sale of fresh salmon to the public is part of the commercial fishery project of the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) said Howie Wright, fisheries program manager with the ONA. Fish is also being sold through local restaurants, Wright said.
The commercial fishery run by ONA coincides with the recreational fishery, which opened July 31 and is set to close on Sept. 2. Its success is made possible by this year’s abundant salmon migration, which is the largest on record since 1938.
In addition to the fresh fish, unsold fish is wrapped and frozen the same day and is sold from freezers at the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre.
Darryl Hall, who is in charge of sales for the centre, said last week that some days the stand sold about 80 fish, while on other days sales have been slower.
The fish is sold gutted but with the heads intact to show how fresh the fish is. A smaller fish sells for $15 and a larger one sells for $20.
Last week there were two boats with seine nets fishing on Osoyoos Lake, but this week there was just one, said Wright.
New this year, however, volunteer anglers who are designated by ONA have been able to fish for the commercial fishery after they land their personal quota of four fish per day.
“It works very well,” said Wright. “We had about 30 volunteer experienced anglers that went out with us.”
The ONA is trying to expand the local market through restaurants, Wright said, adding that chefs and restaurant customers are encouraged to request the local salmon.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
