Seattle’s fishing culture is something to be proud of. Drive over the Ballard Bridge on any given day and you’ll see the fleet docked below. The weathered, working boats stacked with gear, waiting for their next trip north, are striking, aren’t they? It’s hard, dangerous work, and there’s something so compelling and fierce about the fishers who head back into those waters year after year.

That same spirit—the endurance, teamwork, and respect for the catch—will flow through the city later this month when at least 40 restaurants across the region take part in Bristol Bay Salmon Week. Running November 17-22, the event celebrates wild Alaska sockeye salmon, with local chefs creating special dishes that highlight its rich color and flavor.

You’ll find sockeye featured all over town, from The Walrus & The Carpenter, to Homer, Sushi Kappo Tamura, Ivar’s, Old Stove Brewing Co., Local Tide, and The Lakehouse. Whole Foods Markets in Roosevelt Square, Interbay, and Kirkland will host demos and specials for anyone wanting to cook their own. You can also find recipes and handling tips here, on the Bristol Bay website.

“Seattle chefs embrace this annual event because they care deeply about the fish and the story behind it,” says Lilani Dunn, executive director of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association. “Bristol Bay salmon is wild, responsibly harvested, and carefully handled by independent fishermen and fishing families to ensure the highest quality from boat to plate.”

In southwest Alaska, Bristol Bay’s icy, glacier-fed rivers have supported a thriving fishery for more than 130 years. The region’s six major river systems produce over half of the world’s wild sockeye salmon and sustain around 8,000 small-boat fishers each season—many from families who have been part of this work for generations. The 2025 harvest hit around 56.7 million sockeye, about 14% higher than forecast and one of the largest runs in 20 years.

I once met a few Bristol Bay fishers at Brouwer’s Cafe in Fremont, back when it was still open. They’d just come off a summer stint in Alaska and stopped in to celebrate. One of them, who had clearly had his share of drinks, insisted on buying a round for the whole bar. A few of us hesitated (Brouwer’s was packed), but his friends explained it was tradition—how the fishermen marked a safe return and a strong season. Most of them were Seattle-based and split their lives between Alaska and home, fishing all summer. So later this month, let’s be sure to raise a glass to the beautiful fish and the fishers who catch it, and to the chefs who know exactly what to do with it.

The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association, which organizes Salmon Week, is a fishermen-funded group dedicated to supporting the bay’s wild sockeye fishery and the communities that depend on it.