GOVERNOR ISSUES AWARD TO SOLAR FISHING METHOD
(Directly from the press release.)

Olympia, WA – Amid growing concerns about the health of our oceans and returning wild salmon populations, a small group of environmentally conscious fishermen are now finishing their season with the first solar powered fishing vessel in the world. Not to be confused with salmon farming, these fishermen are out there working the waters of north Puget Sound with the Lummi Island Wild Co-op reefnet fleet. The solar upgrade as well as other innovations that lower by-catch to near zero levels, placed the Co-op front and center at the State Capital Tuesday to receive the Washington State Governor's Award for Sustainability.

"We are showing that with a little extra effort, fishing doesn't have to be a burden on the environment," said Co-op member Ian Kirouac. "Lummi Island Wild now operates three of the most selective and sustainable vessels on the planet – one of which is fully solar powered." The Co-op hopes to build on its successful solar season by converting its entire reefnet fleet to solar power within the next year.

The solar upgrade was made possible by a partnership with Alpha Energy.

"Going solar has helped Lummi Island Wild distinguish itself as the model for sustainable fishing," said Paul Humphreys, VP Marketing for Alpha Technologies. "And in their success, other businesses should be inspired to learn how to incorporate renewable energy systems into everyday operations. Being a good environmental steward is getting easier and more profitable to do."

Reefnet Salmon are some of the highest quality wild salmon available anywhere. These Fraser River fish are caught 1500 miles from their spawning grounds, making them high in healthy omega-3 fats. Each fish is individually handled, protecting their high quality all the way to seafood cases and dinner plates across the country. You can find retailers or buy the salmon directly from www.LummiislandWild.com/.

The reefnetting technique was invented by the indigenous peoples of Puget Sound, who made underwater reefs out of cedar bark ropes and marsh grass to funnel migrating salmon into a small net. Although the boats have gotten a little bigger and winches are used to pull up the nets, there isn't a fundamental difference in the fishing method to this day.

Lummi Island Wild Coop was formed when a small group of reefnet owners began to reorganize the nearly extinct fishery. 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.