Click on the links below to view answers to questions we're often asked.
Yes. Once we have your fish packaged and ready to be shipped, we will send you an email including a tracking number, which can be used at www.fedex.com or you can call 1-800-GO-FEDEX, for an estimated time of delivery.
No. We are only able to service the continental United States with overnight delivery. This includes Hawaii, but an additional $35 fee is added at checkout due to shipping costs.
Standard Overnight delivery is the least expensive option: a 1-5 lb order would cost $60 to ship, a 6-10 lb order $70, and so on. Saturday Delivery and shipments to Hawaii are another $35 more. But the good news is that FedEx shipping is fast, reliable, and guaranteed to be on time! When you have your wild alaskan seafood in front of you, you’ll know that the price you paid for quality shipping was worth it.
All our FedEx shipments are sent “signature release,” meaning that FedEx will leave the package at your door without a signature in the event that you are not home to receive it.”
It’s pretty rare for a shipment to show up late…but if you do encounter any problem with your order, just let us know right away and we will be happy to file a claim with FedEx and either ship you a new box of seafood or refund your purchase. Sometimes, boxes are delayed due to causes beyond anyone’s control, such as weather, but in most cases we can resolve any problems you might have quickly and with little hassle
Most scallops sold in the U.S. are treated with tripolyphosphate, a widely used food additive that helps scallops retain moisture, which is why they are called “wet.” These treated scallops often shrink dramatically when cooked as the water leaves them, resulting in a much smaller scallop than one was expecting! All of our scallops are “dry,” meaning untreated with tripolyphosphate.
No, Island Seafoods fish is wild caught in local Alaska waters by our fishermen, delivered to our dock, and processed right here! Wild-caught seafood is definitely more nutritious and environmentally responsible than farmed alternatives, so you should accept no substitutes!
Note: we do sell some quality seafood products sourced outside Alaska, but it is always noted in the title and or description.
Island Seafoods is MSC certified, meaning that all of the fish we sell is harvested responsibly and sustainably. Alaskan fisheries are the most closely monitored and best managed in the world, and all of our fisheries are stable and healthy. When you buy Alaskan seafood, you can be confident that you are making an environmentally friendly choice.
We feel a better question is why are they selling theirs for so much more! Since Island Seafoods purchases our fish fresh directly from the fishermen that catch it, and then process it here in house with our skilled and efficient filleters, there’s no middle man to hold things up or raise prices! That means that our seafood is processed and frozen as quickly after harvest as possible, and our costs are kept low.
We believe strongly in making fresh Wild Alaskan Seafood affordable for everyone so that no one ever has to compromise on inferior farmed fish. We challenge you to find lower prices for wild seafood anywhere!
If you choose to have your salmon or halibut smoked, it typically takes about one week. If you are leaving Kodiak before your fish is back from the smokehouse, you can arrange to have it shipped home via FedEx Overnight delivery, and it can be brought right to your door.
Current bag-limit and fishing regulations are available from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Click here to view the regulations for Kodiak.
Currently Alaska Airlines and ERA Aviation allow each passenger two fifty (50) pound pieces of luggage. The following rates apply for extra or overweight luggage:
Fees and limitations change frequently. View Alaska Airlines current regulations.
Fishing in Kodiak is typically done one of two ways. Charter boats, and those adventurers who fish Kodiak’s many rivers and streams. If you are fishing on a Charter vessel, your skipper will take care of preserving the fish until you arrive at our dock.
If you catch a nice and bright salmon one of Kodiak’s many rivers, it is most important to thoroughly bleed your fish, and quickly ice it down. Bleeding is typically done by tearing or cutting a gill, and/or slicing the tail. Once the fish is fully bled-out, you should ice it down until it is handed off to us for processing. If you feel comfortable doing so, removing the head and guts from fish may also be appropriate. Exposing fillets to loose ice can result in bleaching of the flesh or degredation of quality; if one is going to pack loose fillets in ice, please wrap them in a bag first.
When the time comes to pick up your catch from us, you have the option of having it boxed. Our boxes are wax-sealed, for optimum leakage protection, and include an insulated foam lining to keep your fish frozen during your travel home. Island Seafoods carries 15 pound, 25 pound, 50 pound and 80 pound boxes. All boxes are available at a minimal additional charge, and are airline-approved for travel.
This is where it gets easy for you. After you’ve landed that barndoor halibut, you get to sit back, take pictures and watch us do the rest. Our dockside facility is equipped with a crane which we lower to the charter vessel and bring your catch in to be processed. While you snap photos and watch the fish enter our facility, a member of our staff will come aboard the charter vessel to get your custom processing requests and gather any information we may need to assist you.
Our professional staff of processors will hand-fillet your fish, vacuum-seal it and finally blast-freeze it. You can choose the portion size (typically cuts weighing about 1.5#) and whether we fillet or steak your catch. In addition, if you wish to have your fish smoked, we work with Kodiak Island Smokehouse and can have your fish smoked and ready to be enjoyed about one week from when you drop it off.
For us to be able to fillet, vacuum-seal and properly freeze your catch, we typically have a minimum turnaround of about 24 hours. In the event that you catch a fish the same day you are leaving, some exceptions can be made to the best of our processing capabilities.
Recovery is the amount of fillet weight that you get back once the spine, entrails and head are removed. A question often asked is, “If I bring a 200lb halibut to be filleted, how much meat will I get back?” If you do actually bring a 200lb halibut in, you’ll get approximately 50% of its weight in finished fillets- around 100lbs of fillets… and a round of congratulations on such a monster fish! Halibut typically yield about a 40-50% recovery on a forty-pound fish, a little more on bigger fish, and a little less on smaller fish. An average salmon will get you back about 50% fillet weight, and a rockfish or ling cod will get you a turnaround of about 25-35%.
Kodiak has world-class fishing of all 5 Pacific salmon species. The first salmon to enter the freshwater system is the King Salmon (also known as Chinook salmon) in May and June, though the strongest King runs typically begin in July. Simultaneously, sockeye (Red Salmon) start their run in early June. As the sockeye migration begins to slow around mid to late July, you will begin to see Pink Salmon (Humpies) and Chums (Dog Salmon) to enter as well. Lastly, starting in mid to late August, Coho (Silver Salmon) start showing their fins. This coho run lasts well in to October, and even some in to November. No matter what time of the summer you decide to fish Kodiak, you’ll be sure to find a salmon somewhere near.
Yes, absolutely. You worked hard catching those fish, and we’ll make sure you get those very same fish back when you leave. Island Seafoods has a state-of-the-art computer tracking system for all sportfish brought in our doors, and a staff dedicated to fisherman-satisfaction. We are a professional commercial processing plant, and we take pride in our high quality of service.