First Fish

QUICK FACTS

Located: 

Baffin Island, Nunavut

Established:

2017

Owned By:

Michel Labbé

Produces:

• Arctic Char
• Turbot

Season:

Year Round

Growing Practices:

First Fish is wild caught, sustainably fished in Baffin Island, Nunavut, from the pristine waters of the Canadian Arctic. Due to the inaccessibility of the island, the waters surrounding Baffin Island are some of the cleanest waters in the world. 

Using their traditional knowledge and legendary skills they developed over thousands of years, they travel across the frozen lakes on snow machines and use only nets and long lines to catch the fish through up to 8 feet of ice, for minimal disturbance to the environment.

They support two quota systems to protect the sustainability of the northern lakes and oceans, the official quota set by the Department of Fisheries & Oceans and the local quotas set by the elders in the communities.

Their wild caught Arctic Char & Turbot are known to contain more Omega 3 oils as they retain more oils due to the cold temperatures north of the arctic circle, contain very low (if any) mercury, and contain less fat and more protein than farmed fish.

Their Arctic Char and Turbot are frozen from catch during the winter and within 6 hours in the summer so its peak flavour naturally preserved.

Producer Website:

https://www.firstfish.ca/

About:

As a non-profit social enterprise, First Fish's primary goals are to support positive social, cultural, community, economic and/or environmental outcomes and revenue is secondary.

Their vision is to improve the quality of life for the Inuit communities on Baffin Island through the development of a fully functional in-shore fishing facility that will provide employment opportunities for everyone across the island to create a positive future children can look forward to.

Their Mission

• Provide sustainable employment for all communities across Baffin Island by supporting the growth and development of individual fisherman, including the training and education of Inuit youth into culturally appropriate jobs in the fishery.
• Protect the sustainability of the fishery for future generations using the guidelines and quotas established by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as well as community leaders.
• Work side-by-side with the Inuit communities to build a vibrant economy and strengthen the social harmony within communities to provide cultural and economic stability.

CHECK OUT THEIR PRODUCTS BELOW!