Careful Handling Keeping the fish in the best shape begins when the fish are landed. Family Pride uses a brailer to bring the fish in. This ensures that they are not bruised, damaged or killed in the process. The Fish are brought alongside the boat, then brailed live on board. The Family Pride process is executed in small batches to ensure careful handling. Fish are only brought aboard as they can be processed. For example, if a 10,000 lb. set is caught and the boat can only process 3,000 lbs., Family Pride floats on the set until all of the fish can be processed. The process is contrary to the notion that quantity is the most important aspect of bringing in salmon. Producing a quality fish that is "better than fresh" is the goal of the Family Pride process.

Proper Bleeding The fish are bled in live tanks. The bleeding tanks are constantly replenished with fresh seawater by two pumps on deck. The fish must be bled in oxygenated water to ensure the best results. Bleeding is not rushed, it takes 20 - 30 minutes to properly bleed a salmon. The fish are still swimming during the bleeding. This ensures that as much blood as possible is removed. The fish are bled until the water runs clear. Blood is the source of the "fishy"smell of some salmon. To ensure the best quality, the fish must be bled properly.

Unique Freezing Process Once the salmon are bled, they are placed into a brine tank. The fish sit in a basket in the saltwater tank. The brine is refrigerated to 0 degrees or less. The timing is crucial, as the fish must be frozen before rigor sets in. Gentle handling keeps the fish straight to avoid damage and bruising. The brine temperature is closely monitored. When the fish are first added, the temperature rises significantly. When the brine temperature returns to zero, the fish are ready to be pulled out. In about an hour, the fish are frozen as solid as a rock, with a core temperature of 15 - 18 degrees.

Locked-in Quality After the fish are frozen, the quality is preserved and the fish is well-protected against dehydration and oxidization. The next step is glazing. Glazing seals the fish from outside air. The fish is solidly frozen, and the quality is locked-in. The fish are then placed in cold-storage at -30 degrees. The whole fish is left intact. Brine-freezing in the round (before the fish is headed or gutted) helps preserve the quality. Nature's seal is left intact to keep out bacteria or other contaminants. Additionally, leaving the fish intact eliminates freezer burn to exposed flesh.

Better than Fresh Finally, the frozen, protected fish is delivered to a processer in town where they are glazed again. A small amount of the catch is sold locally, but the majority is sent to Seattle where it is further processed to customer specifications. The Family Pride process reflects Captain D.J. Vinberg's committment to provide high-quality seafood that reflects a respect for the resource. Read more about Salmon