One of the challenges of living in a land as sparsely developed as the Taku River basin is that there is a shortage of opportunity for our people. In Atlin, we've been experiencing a high unemployment rate. We have explored a number of businesses that would allow us to generate employment and income from the vast resources in our lands, but the one that is most consistent with our people's tradition of land stewardship is the responsible sale of our premiere salmon.

Taku Wild was formed by the TRTFN to enable the commercial sale of sustainably caught, specially packaged, organically flavored wild salmon products to benefit the Taku River Tlingit and to help fund conservation efforts in the Taku River basin.

Our special packaging provides Taku Wild smoked salmon with a six-year shelf life, allowing us to sell the product worldwide to people interested in healthy and ecological friendly products. Our products require no refrigeration and contain no preservatives. Our healthy and delicious salmon is ready to eat as soon as you open the pouch.

Currently, Tlingit fishermen on the Taku River catch our salmon, and it is then taken by boat to Juneau, Alaska, where it is smoked and specially packaged in a certified commercial facility. Once we have established a market for Taku Wild's products, we plan to build a certified processing facility in Atlin. This new facility will bring additional employment to our people in Atlin and help us expand our product line. With each purchase of Taku Wild you bring us closer to achieving this goal.

Taku Wild's vision is to ensure the long-term viability of the Taku River and the surrounding land, lakes, and wildlife. To that end, net income from the sale of Taku Wild products finances conservation efforts in the Taku River basin by members of the Tlingit community and international conservation groups.

Working together, the TRTFN and Round River Conservation Studies are jointly producing a Wildlife Conservation Areas Design for the traditional territory of the Taku River Tlingit and helping to train members of the Tlingit community to carry on the conservations into perpetuity. This detailed conservation plan will not only help to preserve the integrity of the Taku River basin's ecosystem, but will also help the Tlingit people sustainably utilize the resources of region to bring prosperity to their community. To learn more about Round River visit their website at www.roundriver.org.

Enjoy Taku Wild salmon anytime. Many people love it for breakfast (mixed in with scrambled eggs and sautéed onions). Others love it for lunch in a salad. We love it on crackers as an afternoon snack. It makes a great dinner entree, and a wonderful gift to people who love delicious and nutritious foods who also care about conserving precious wilderness lands.