The Copper River/Prince William Sound Marketing Association is celebrating the return of Alaska's Copper River salmon season, which begins on 14 May, with two unique co-branding partnerships.
The first partnership with the Alaskan Brewing Co. promotes a recipe card for Copper River salmon marinated in Alaskan Amber beer, with Chef Al Levinsohn of Kincaid Grill in Anchorage, Alaska, featuring the recipe on KTUU-TV in Anchorage in mid-May.
“The Alaskan Brewing Co. is a prominent Alaska brand and it was a natural fit to pair great beer with great salmon. These are two well-known Alaska brands and we see a great future for the partnership in coming years,” said Beth Poole, the association’s executive director.
The association also is partnering with the Cordova Chamber of Commerce to highlight a PBS and National Geographic TV series, “Whisked Away,” featuring salmon in the Copper River flats. Jon Rowley, who helped launch the Copper River brand, and Gourmet magazine editor Ruth Reichl will be featured in the series as they follow the Copper River salmon from the fishery to Seattle and Pike Place Market.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to gain exposure for Cordova and for Copper River salmon,” said Martin Moe, executive director of the Cordova Chamber of Commerce.
“Working with the Cordova Chamber of Commerce has helped bring added exposure to our region and to the Copper River brand. Having a television crew here to film the first fishing opener and follow the first Copper River salmon down to Seattle brings the excitement around the start of the season to a bigger audience,” Poole said.
“The forecast for Copper River kings is good and the sockeye and coho runs should be average. Only time will tell how the runs will end up,” she added.
After the first salmon is processed on the evening of 14 May, the Copper River/Prince William Sound Marketing Association will celebrate with a First Fish Celebration event at the Reluctant Fisherman on 15 May from 5 to 7 p.m.