'Doing fish':
Alaska's summer salmon run

'I started fishing salmon since I was six years old with my dad ... now I teach my kids and grandkids.' - Jim Lamont (69) Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

The villages of Iliamna and Newhalen sit on the waters of the largest lake in Alaska. Each summer, millions of salmon charge upriver to their spawning grounds, travelling hundreds of kilometres to lay their eggs.

Chapin Hall/Al Jazeera

The community is only accessible by plane. Groceries, which are flown in, can cost twice as much as in the nearest city of Anchorage, which is more than 300km away.

Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

Residents in the remote region rely on the salmon run – as well as wild game and other fish – for their meals. They eat an average of 426 pounds (193kg) of wild foods each year, and about half of that is salmon.

Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

Each summer, family and friends gather to catch and store salmon to eat throughout the rest of the year.
It is a part of Dena'ina and Yup'ik cultures, as ways of processing - or 'doing' - fish are passed down from generation to generation.

Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

'The salmon season begins usually in July... it's unpredictable with Mother Nature, the salmon get here, whenever they get here.' - James Wassillie (43) Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

The families not only catch enough salmon to feed themselves throughout the year, but also send fish to relatives and friends outside the village. Some families might catch hundreds of salmon in the summer.

Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

Edna Foss (78) is filleting salmon at her "fish table", which is typically covered with small branches or a rough mat to stop the fish from sliding around.

Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

Fillets are ready for the next step.

Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

James soaks the fish in a mixture of water, salt and brown sugar. He uses a special potato technique to know how much salt to add: 'Once it floats, you know it's done. Magic!' Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

The fish are hung out to dry for a day or two before being moved to the smokehouse.

Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

Freshly-cut birch wood is used to smoke the fish, which helps keep the smokehouse cool and dry.

Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

'I enjoy my fish very much... it makes you feel good when you make something and it puts a smile on your face.' - James Wassillie (43) Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

After spending a day or two in the smokehouse, the fish are now ready for canning.

Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

'I cut up the fish and place them in the jars with the skin on the inside [so they don't stick].' - Flora (65) Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

These jars are then carefully sealed and placed in a pressure cooker for 90 minutes.

Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

THE RESULT

Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

Summer fishing ends in August; the salmon continue on to their spawning grounds, and the communities hang up their nets until next spring.

Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

'And that's it. We were raised with salmon - all kinds of salmon...and that's what we live on.' - Jim Lamont (69) Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

'Doing fish':
Alaska's summer salmon run

An Alaska native community on the waters of the world's largest wild sockeye salmon run share how they catch fish each summer - a tradition that has been passed down for generations.

The villages of Iliamna and Newhalen sit on the waters of the largest lake in Alaska. Each summer, millions of salmon charge upriver to their spawning grounds, travelling hundreds of kilometres to lay their eggs.

The community is only accessible by plane. Groceries, which are flown in, can cost twice as much as in the nearest city of Anchorage, which is more than 300km away.

Residents in the remote region rely on the salmon run – as well as wild game and other fish – for their meals. They eat an average of 426 pounds (193kg) of wild foods each year, and about half of that is salmon.

Each summer, family and friends gather to catch and store salmon to eat throughout the rest of the year.
It is a part of Dena'ina and Yup'ik cultures, as ways of processing - or 'doing' - fish are passed down from generation to generation.

HERE ARE THE STEPS ⇨

The families not only catch enough salmon to feed themselves throughout the year, but also send fish to relatives and friends outside the village. Some families might catch hundreds of salmon in the summer.

Edna Foss (78) is filleting salmon at her "fish table", which is typically covered with small branches or a rough mat to stop the fish from sliding around.

Fillets are ready for the next step.

The fish are hung out to dry for a day or two before being moved to the smokehouse.

Freshly-cut birch wood is used to smoke the fish, which helps keep the smokehouse cool and dry.

After spending a day or two in the smokehouse, the fish are now ready for canning.

These jars are then carefully sealed and placed in a pressure cooker for 90 minutes.

THE RESULT

Delicious smoked salmon ready to eat or store for the year.

Summer fishing ends in August; the salmon continue on to their spawning grounds, and the communities hang up their nets until next spring.

'Doing fish': Alaska's summer salmon run

An Alaska native community on the waters of the world's largest wild sockeye salmon run share how they catch fish each summer - a tradition that has been passed down for generations.

The villages of Iliamna and Newhalen sit on the waters of the largest lake in Alaska. Each summer, millions of salmon charge upriver to their spawning grounds, travelling hundreds of kilometres to lay their eggs.

The community is only accessible by plane. Groceries, which are flown in, can cost twice as much as in the nearest city of Anchorage, which is more than 300km away.

Residents in the remote region rely on the salmon run – as well as wild game and other fish – for their meals. They eat an average of 426 pounds (193kg) of wild foods each year, and about half of that is salmon.

Each summer, family and friends gather to catch and store salmon to eat throughout the rest of the year. It is a part of Dena'ina and Yup'ik cultures, as ways of processing - or 'doing' - fish are passed down from generation to generation.

HERE ARE THE STEPS ⇨

The families not only catch enough salmon to feed themselves throughout the year, but also send fish to relatives and friends outside the village. Some families might catch hundreds of salmon in the summer.

Edna Foss (78) is filleting salmon at her "fish table", which is typically covered with small branches or a rough mat to stop the fish from sliding around.

Fillets are ready for the next step.

The fish are hung out to dry for a day or two before being moved to the smokehouse.

Freshly-cut birch wood is used to smoke the fish, which helps keep the smokehouse cool and dry.

After spending a day or two in the smokehouse, the fish are now ready for canning.

These jars are then carefully sealed and placed in a pressure cooker for 90 minutes.

THE RESULT

Delicious smoked salmon ready to eat or store for the year.

Summer fishing ends in August; the salmon continue on to their spawning grounds, and the communities hang up their nets until next spring.

'Doing fish':
Alaska's summer salmon run

Each summer, family and friends gather to catch and store salmon to eat throughout the rest of the year.
It is a part of Dena'ina and Yup'ik cultures, as ways of processing - or 'doing' - fish are passed down from generation to generation.