WILD NUNAVUT ARCTIC CHAR
Salvelinus alpinus
Exceptional in every way
Wild Arctic char spend the short summer months feeding in the Northwest Passage, building fat reserves for the long Arctic winter. In early fall, which starts in mid-July, our Nunavut fishermen begin fishing just as the lakes start the process of freezing over. This fishery lasts through the on-set of winter, in mid-September.
Modern Families, Ancestral Fishery
Fishing camps, located on the tundra, are just a short floatplane ride from established communities. This is an area where caribou, muskox and polar bears roam freely. Each camp is unique, in some of which, entire families relocate to share the experience. It is a quiet but busy time for all involved. It is truly a fishery based on ancient techniques carried out by modern families.
Once the fish are harvested, they are immediately cleaned before being hauled to the processing plant in Cambridge Bay by floatplanes. When the fish arrive they are batch numbered and processed before being packed in ice and shipped fresh.
Wild Arctic char have a characteristic silver to ivory skin and deep vermillion flesh. They have large fillets with a high fat content thanks to their rich summer diet in frigid Northern waters. Wild Arctic char is a highly seasonal and exceptional prize fish in every way.
