 The world's first solar powered fishing vessel gives Washington State the most sustainable wild salmon fishery. Photo by Ryan Roy/Alpha Energy LUMMI ISLAND (Wash.) - Washington State claimed the worlds most sustainable wild salmon fishery on April 19th 2007, as the Lummi Island Wild Coop bolted the last of twelve solar panels to their reefnet boat. The solar retro fit will power all the gear needed for normal operations and gives the vessel a zero carbon emissions status. After one successful season of this pilot program, the Coop will transition its entire fleet to solar power - a process that is expected to take two years.
The small Washington fishery has long enjoyed its eco-friendly status. Reefnet salmon are gently spilled from the net into a live well where unwanted or protected species are released unharmed. "Our specialized methods allow us to deliver unmatched quality," said Lummi Island Coop member Ian Kirouac. "Wild salmon are live bled, slush iced, and custom processed for restaurants and our online seafood market."
 Members of the Lummi Island Wild Coop and Alpha Energy celebrate on-board the world's first solar powered fishing vessel. Photo by Ryan Roy/Alpha Energy The world's first solar salmon will be auctioned at www.lummiislandwild.com in late July. All proceeds will benefit wild salmon conservation. A more detailed explanation of the fishery, including pictures, video, and links to help protect wild salmon habitat, can also be found on the website.
 Drawings by C.R. Hitz
Click on images for Hi-Res versions.
For great pictures of the solar installation visit our "Press Releases and News" link on our home page www.LummiislandWild.com or contact: Ian@lummiislandwild.com
Lummi Island Wild Coop was formed when a small group of reefnet owners began to reorganize the nearly extinct fishery. Though the boats have gotten a little bigger, and winches are used to pull the nets, there isn't a fundamental difference in the fishing method to this day. Lummi Island Wild supplies premium quality sustainable wild seafood wholesale and to individuals on the web.
Alpha Energy, a member of The Alpha Group and a division of Alpha Technologies Inc., is a full-service engineering and project development company for the distributed generation power industry. One of the nation's leading developers of turnkey photovoltaic systems for commercial, residential, institutional and remote (off-grid) applications, Alpha Energy is recognized as a market innovator in packaging renewable energy technologies.
Ian Kirouac
Lummi Island Wild Coop
360-870-3645
ian@lummiislandwild.com |
