Introducing Dave Martynuik, Our New Halibut Fisher!

(Photo courtesy of Dave Martynuik, of himself)

Fishing can be unpredictable, and from year to year, we do our best to plan what seafood is plentiful as well as what our members love to eat. And next to salmon, that favourite is halibut!

So when we were introduced to Haida fisher, Dave Martynuik, earlier this year, we knew that he could be a great fit for supplementing the halibut catches of some of our other fishing families.

Dave is a multi-generation Haida fisherman who started fishing with his uncle when he was 9 years old. On his latest trip in July, and his first for Skipper Otto, he was joined by Ralph as well as by both his adult son Logan and teenage daughter, Shayne as deckhands. Aboard Dave’s 50’ boat Laur-Inda-Lee, they fished all along the southeastern coast of Haida Gwaii, around the Goose Island Bank and Aristazabal Island, and are very excited to share the bounty of their halibut catch with Skipper Otto members.

(Photo courtesy of Dave Martynuik. Logan, his son, at the back of the boat with nets)

While taking a break at anchor in Goose Island Bank, Dave shared that a super pod of dolphins flanked them on both sides of the boat, and as far as the eye could see - hundreds of them! He tried to capture a video, but they were so fast it doesn’t show the magical sight of being surrounded by them.

While on the boat, Dave often prepares these simple dishes for his crew (aka: his kids / deckhand Ralph) and was happy to share them with us a glimpse of what cooking at sea is like:

Recipe #1:

Put halibut fillets in a casserole dish, season to taste (lemon pepper and salt)
Bake for about 7 minutes (425 degrees), take out and drain the liquid
Top with stovetop stuffing mixture
Pour prepared hollandaise sauce over top and bake at 425 uncovered for 17 minutes

Recipe #2:

Season halibut with lemon pepper, garlic powder and a bit of salt
Place onion slices on top
Place diced bacon on top
And top with sherry mayonnaise (add sherry cooking wine to mayonnaise to taste)
Bake uncovered at 425 degrees for 23 minutes

We are so excited to offer the halibut Dave and his family caught in July, so don't forget to grab a few fillets (and some collars and cheeks) to enjoy this summer!