FIRST FISH
Wild Caught on
Baffin Island
Sustainably Fished
Premium Quality Seafood
Supporting Inuit Communities
Non-Profit/Social Enterprise Model
Wild Caught on Baffin Island
Always Wild. Always caught in the most pristine waters in the world.
All of our Arctic Char and Turbot is wild caught off the coast of Baffin Island Nunavut, from the pristine waters of the Canadian Arctic.
Baffin Island, Nunavut is the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world. Despite the size, the 8 hamlets on the Island have a total population of 14,355, 85% of whom are Inuit, with the communities of Qikiqtarjuaq and Pangnirtung reaching 520 and 1,550 respectively.
Due to the inaccessibility of the island, the waters surrounding Baffin Island are some of the cleanest waters in the world. The population is a relatively low human impact on the island which leaves our fish with an extremely low level of contaminants.
Sustainably Fished
All of our fish is caught using local, traditional, sustainable methods.
The fishermen travel hundreds of kilometers each trip across the lakes located in the mountains of Baffin Island in Nunavut to catch the Arctic Char and Turbot.
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.
We 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.
Premium Quality Seafood
Pureness and quality you can taste.
There are significant health benefits associated with regular consumption of fish including healthy heart function and brain development.
Our 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, contain less fat and more protein because they are wild caught rather than farm-fed.
The Arctic Char and Turbot is frozen from catch during the winter and within 6 hours in the summer so the flavour and beneficial oils are naturally preserved.
Our Arctic Char and Turbot is processed at the CFIA certified facility in Pangnirtung and then flown down to be portioned for market by Fisherfolk at their facility in Toronto. Some of our Arctic Char is then hot and cold smoked to perfection by the Smoke Bloke in Toronto.
Supporting Inuit Communities
100% of our profit will be re-invested back into local communities.
First Fish Distribution Non-Profit Corporation invests in building sustainable fisheries in remote communities, and all of our product sales directly support the Inuit fishermen.
As a non-profit, First Fish will use any surplus after covering all costs and expenses to help support the growth of the fishery on Baffin Island through training, equipment, capacity building, and exploratory research.
The surplus can also be used for any other local activities that will benefit the communities such as arts and tourism developments.
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Non-Profit/Social Entreprise
Using a unique model to increase employment, support economic growth and improve quality of life.
As a non-profit social enterprise, our primary goals are to support positive social, cultural, community, economic and/or environmental outcomes and revenue is secondary.
Our 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.
Our mission :
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
Interested in supporting First Fish?
Taste it for Yourself
Have you been to any of our Farmer's markets? Tried any of our menu features? All purchases from our office, markets or partners directly support our activities!
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
Are you interested in helping out with sales at our markets? What about running our social media? How's your photography? Graphic design? There is tons of opportunities we can discuss!
Share our Story
Do you have any friends/family who might enjoy our fish? Know any chefs, restaurants, local stores who might be interested? We love to make new connections!
We appreciate any support that you can offer, please reach out to us with any ideas!
Meet Our Team
Working together to bring you the fish you love.
Fisherfolk. The team at Fisherfolk is committed to providing the freshest, highest quality, natural Canadian fish and seafood while respecting the lakes and oceans. They are not only processing our fish but you can pass by their store to pick some up!
The Smoke Bloke. Founded by Mike, who has his certificate of chef training and a love for creating smoked foods. Over the years he learned the basics of smoking and developed his own style of smoking foods, specializing in fish products.
Michel Labbé. Michel (Mike) was the founder of Options for Homes, a Toronto based non-profit condominium developer that has built over 2,500 homes for low and mid income families. Currently Mike is president of Home Opportunities a social enterprise that focuses on housing and economic development accross Canada and internationally. Mike provides strategic guidance and is President of First Fish.
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Mickayla Labbé. Mickayla has a background in Marketing Management, she started her career working with a non-profit developing housing internationally. Mickayla has been with First Fish for 4 years and is now is Director of Marketing and Sales at First Fish, leading direct consumer sales activities in Toronto.
Michael Delaney & Ian Ritchie. Michael and Ian have been working in the seafood & sustainable food industry for years. They have a passion for social enterprise and are eager to help share the First Fish story. Currently, Ian and Michael are leading First Fish wholesale activities with distributors and restaurants across Canada and the United States.
Gema Rodriguez. Gema graduated with a degree in sustainability and social enterprise. She has worked with several organizations in the sustainable development industry over the past 4 years. Gema is the Financial Officer at First Fish.
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