
A real catch!

While it’s a long way from Ann Arbor to Alaska, Wildfish Cannery carries our same philosophy when it comes to food. For over 30 years – only 5 years after we opened the Deli! — they have been cultivating a reputation for wild-caught, sustainable Alaskan seafood in Klawock, a seaside town of less than 800 people on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska. Founded in 1987 by local school bookkeeper Phyllis Meuller, Wildfish Cannery brought community-based fishing to a population who consider fishing an essential part of life, and offered a means of canning their freshly caught fish. As the Wildfish folks say, the company has served as an:
economic engine for our small community. Unlike many seafood processing plants around the state, our production team is comprised entirely of local community members from small towns across Prince of Wales Island, traditional lands of the Indigenous Tlingit and Haida Nations.
The company is in its third generation, now run by Phyllis’ grandson, Mathew Scaletta. Mathew is a former chef who moved back up to Alaska to take over the business after honing his skills in fine-dining in Portland, Oregon, bringing some “new school” ideas and methods to the best of their time-honored traditions.
A pearl in Prince of Wales Island
Wildfish prides itself on its community — the fishermen and divers are not only from Alaska’s sustainable fisheries, they are Wildfish’s friends and neighbors! Wildfish buys at peak harvest and hand-slices every piece of fish before brining and smoking with all natural woodsmoke. Every tin is hand-packed in-house, which ensures any tin you pick up meets their high standards and their commitment to craft.
Some fin-tastic options on our shelves

Smoked Octopus: Named by Monterey Bay Seafood Watch as a ‘Best Choice’ sustainable species, this octopus is smoky, briny, and succulent. It comes from Dustan and Evie Dickerson, who have been running Raven Bay Seafoods out of Dutch Harbor for decades now. Octopus off the coast of Alaska have typically been what’s called a “by-catch” of cod-fishing—when they come up in nets, they’re most frequently used as bait. When the cod market dropped off a few years ago they decided to connect with Wildfish Cannery. The collaboration resulted in this super tasty smoked octopus.
Smoked Herring: Smoked over alderwood for a savory umami and rich smoke flavor. Like the octopus, herring were originally, basically, a by-product caught for their “caviar.” A fisherman named Warner Lew wanted to change that, to help folks understand that the fish itself is also delicious! Lew lives in the tiny village of Togiak, on the north end of Bristol Bay, where, the Wildfish folks say, he’s been “evangelizing for only 40 or so years on behalf of underutilized Alaskan species.” Lew says, “The herring, [is] underutilized in this country because few people know how to handle it … [or] how to enjoy it.” Working with Wildfish Cannery, he’s helping to change that.
Smoked White King Salmon: Wild caught Alaskan salmon that is very rare. Often marketed as the “Ivory King” this salmon is highly sought-after for its delectable culinary experience. It represents only five percent of the total king salmon population in Alaska. The elusive white king is hard to anticipate and impossible to distinguish from the red king until filleted.
Smoked King Alaskan Salmon: There’s a big difference between the smoked salmon of Alaska and the Scottish-style Atlantic smoked salmon and lox you find on a bagel with cream cheese. Alaskan smoked salmon is heartier, firmer in texture and richer with the flavor of fish. Both styles are great and have their specific uses. Co-founder Ari says, “when it comes to pasta dishes or salads, I’ve been loving this tinned smoked salmon from Wildfish Cannery in Klawock, Alaska. They source only sustainably-caught wild king salmon for this tin. It’s smoked over hardwood, but that doesn’t overpower the sweetness of the salmon.”