As someone who loves cooking flavorful healthy salmon dishes at home, I’m always on the lookout for high-quality wild salmon. But finding sustainable fresh wild-caught salmon isn’t always easy, especially if you don’t live near a coastline.
After doing a lot of research on the salmon industry, I’ve discovered several excellent options for purchasing premium wild salmon regardless of where you live. Here’s my guide to the best places to buy delicious, ethical wild salmon.
Why Choose Wild-Caught Salmon
Before getting into the where let’s briefly go over why wild salmon is such a smart choice for your health. taste buds and the environment
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More Omega-3 fatty acids – Wild salmon get their omega-3s directly from eating other fish and algae. Farm-raised salmon have much lower omega-3 levels.
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Lower toxin risk – Since wild salmon eat a diverse diet in a natural environment, they accumulate far fewer contaminants than farmed.
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Superior texture and flavor – Swimming upstream builds firm muscle with great taste. Farmed salmon are more fatty with less flavor.
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Sustainability – Wild fisheries are closely managed with strict catch quotas and impact regulations.
Nutritionally and ethically, fresh wild-caught salmon is hands-down the best salmon option. Now let’s explore some top places to source high-quality fresh or frozen wild salmon.
Online Retailers Offering Flash-Frozen Wild Salmon
One of the easiest ways to buy premium wild-caught salmon is through online seafood retailers that ship it overnight to your door. The benefit is the salmon is flash-frozen at peak freshness just hours after being caught. This locks in flavor and quality.
Here are two of my favorite online sources:
Alaskan Salmon Company – Founded by an Alaskan fisherman, ASC sells portioned and whole wild salmon fillets directly from small fisheries in Alaska. Their sockeye, coho, and king salmon are frozen within hours of being caught and arrive frozen in insulated boxes. Their salmon receives rave reviews for freshness, sustainability, and amazing flavor.
Vital Choice – This retailer sells a wide range of wild seafood that’s harvested and processed under strict standards for quality and sustainability. They offer portioned and whole fillets of Alaskan salmon including sockeye, coho, and king. Their salmon are also flash-frozen ensuring a fresh taste.
The convenience of overnight shipping means you can enjoy restaurant-quality wild salmon from Alaska and the Pacific Northwest even if you don’t live near the source.
Fish Markets and Specialty Seafood Shops
Locally-owned fish markets and seafood stores are my go-to option when I want to hand-pick fresh wild-caught salmon. High-end seafood shops will stock a range of wild salmon options including:
- Sockeye salmon
- Coho salmon
- King or Chinook salmon
- Pink salmon
The knowledgeable staff at these retailers can guide you to the highest quality salmon and share cooking advice. Smaller independent fish markets often have a superior selection of sustainable wild salmon compared to large supermarket chains.
Natural Food Stores and Co-Ops
Many natural food stores and food co-ops also carry fresh wild-caught salmon supplied by independent fishermen and eco-conscious providers. Stores like Whole Foods have improved their sustainable seafood programs. Look for the Marine Stewardship Council certification for wild salmon.
Even if the selection is limited, natural food stores are improving access to responsibly sourced wild salmon.
Community Supported Fishery (CSF) Programs
For the ultimate in fresh-off-the-boat wild salmon delivered to your home, consider joining a community supported fishery program (CSF). These programs allow you to buy a “share” in advance from a local sustainable fishing outfit and receive regular shipments of their catch.
It’s a great way to get ultra-fresh seafood while supporting small fishermen. You can expect freshly caught wild salmon in season.
Buy Direct from Fishing Docks
If you live near or are visiting coastal fishing towns, go straight to the source and buy wild salmon at local docks. Pier-side sales offer affordable pricing and the freshest salmon imaginable since it’s coming right off the fishing boats.
This option requires effort and timing your visit during peak fishing seasons but nets you ocean-to-plate freshness that can’t be beat.
Farmer’s Markets and Seafood Stands
At farmer’s markets near major fishing ports, you may find seafood vendors selling wild salmon caught by regional fishermen. Depending on the location, they may offer wild salmon from Alaska or the Pacific Northwest.
Farmers markets are a great outlet for supporting local small-scale fishermen and getting reasonably priced, ultra-fresh wild salmon.
Ask Questions to Assess Quality
No matter where you purchase wild salmon, ask retailers key questions to ensure you’re getting a high-quality sustainable product:
- What species of wild salmon is this?
- Where was it caught?
- How recently was it caught?
- Is it certified as sustainable seafood?
Reputable sellers should readily share information about the source and freshness of their wild salmon. This ensures your salmon comes from ethical, eco-friendly fisheries.
Enjoy Discovering New Sustainable Salmon Sources
Part of the fun is exploring different vendors and fisheries offering wholesome wild-caught salmon in your region and online. With a bit of digging, you’re likely to find small producers you didn’t know about.
Thanks to the growth of community supported fisheries, buying clubs, online shopping, and improved sustainability programs, fresh wild salmon can be accessible to any seafood lover. Follow these tips to find and enjoy premium quality ethical wild salmon.
Supplier Spotlight: Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon
Don’t miss our sustainable wild-caught fresh sockeye salmon from Alaska’s Bristol Bay opens in a new tab, home of the largest commercial wild salmon fishery in the world. This area’s vast system of pristine rivers and snow-fed lakes make it an ideal habitat for sockeye. In fact, an average of 38 million sockeye return to Bristol Bay and its six major river systems each year. For over 130 years, generations of Bristol Bays small boat fishermen have carried on the tradition of hand-harvesting sockeye during peak season from June to July. Sockeye’s abundance helps to support the 8,000 fishermen and 1,800 small fishing businesses that call this area home. Outside of Bristol Bay, each year’s harvest supports more than 14,000 jobs and contributes more than $1 billion in economic activity in the U.S.
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certified Sustainable
Look for the MSC’s blue fish label on our sockeye salmon, which means it has been sourced from a certified sustainable fishery. MSC is the world’s leading certification program for sustainable wild-caught seafood.
All our sustainable wild-caught sockeye salmon must meet our rigorous seafood Quality Standards. For all the fresh and frozen seafood in our Seafood department, our standards help maintain healthy fish populations, protect ecosystems and build a more sustainable seafood supply for everyone. Our standards also prohibit certain preservatives like sodium bisulfite and STPP used to treat seafood.
HOW TO BUY SALMON | What Salmon Should You Buy at the Grocery Store?
FAQ
Can you buy wild salmon in the supermarket?
In supermarkets, salmon can be either wild-caught or farmed, but most of the salmon available is farmed. Farmed salmon is often more readily available and less expensive than wild-caught salmon. However, some supermarkets do offer wild-caught options, typically labeled as such.
When can you buy fresh wild salmon?
| Salmon Species | Peak Season | Flavor Profile |
|---|---|---|
| King (Chinook) | May – September | Rich, buttery, high in Omega-3 |
| Sockeye | June – July | Firm, deep red flesh, bold flavor |
| Coho | July – November | Milder, slightly sweet taste |
| Pink | June – September (every other year) | Light, delicate, lower in fat |
Is Aldi salmon really wild caught?
While some salmon options at Aldi are sourced from the wild, not all are.Mar 30, 2025
Is Trader Joe’s wild salmon really wild?
Yes, Trader Joe’s wild salmon is indeed wild-caught, meaning it is harvested from its natural environment, not farmed. Specifically, Trader Joe’s offers both Wild Sockeye Smoked Salmon and Wild Nova Style Smoked Sockeye Salmon, which are wild-caught in the Northeast Pacific and Alaskan waters, respectively.
Can you buy wild salmon online?
And thanks to overnight shipping, online retailers, community supported fisheries, and seafood buying clubs, almost anyone can gain access to restaurant-quality wild salmon without living near an ocean. Caught by Alaskan fishermen. Sustainably sourced, wild, and fresh, never frozen. Is it possible to buy wild salmon?
Can you buy fresh salmon?
It can be purchased as either steak or fillets, fresh, frozen, canned or smoked. When can you buy wild salmon? And indeed, farmed Atlantic salmon is available fresh all year. Even wild species are available pretty much whenever a hankering strikes, albeit mostly frozen and canned.
Where can I find wild salmon?
Weekly farmers markets in my area have been a great source for finding wild salmon from independent fishers. There are often one or two vendors selling their catch directly to consumers. I’ve been able to establish relationships with the fishmongers and ask them questions about the salmon’s origins and freshness.
What is wild for salmon?
Wild for Salmon is a fishermen-owned business offering premium, wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon sourced from Bristol Bay. Their salmon is flash-frozen for peak freshness and shipped nationwide. Products include portions, smoked salmon, and unique options like salmon burgers.
How much does wild for salmon cost?
Grab some Fresh Sustainable Wild Caught Alaska Sockeye Salmon from July 10 through July 23, just $11.69 per pound with Prime. Who is wild for salmon? Since 2004 we have been fishing the pristine waters of Bristol Bay, Alaska. Wild For Salmon provides you with premium quality, flash-frozen sockeye, direct from our boat… to your table.
Is wild for salmon frozen?
Their salmon is frozen the same day it’s caught, preserving peak freshness, and their long-standing commitment to sustainability and customer service makes them a trusted option for responsibly sourced seafood. Wild for Salmon is a fishermen-owned business offering premium, wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon sourced from Bristol Bay.