As salmon continue heading upstream in rivers all across the Pacific Northwest, Derek Dau and Jenny Taylor, owners of Coville Fish Co., are bringing the ocean’s bounty to Clallam County residents, keeping locals’ fridges stocked with high-quality sockeye salmon and Dungeness crab.
Both Dau and Taylor express joy and wonder for the ocean they rely upon. Both grew up in Midwestern states but individually traveled to the Pacific Northwest to experience something new.
Dau began his fishing career 16 years ago out of a desire to see Alaska. “It definitely captured me,” he said.
Said Taylor, who grew up near Lake Michigan, “I’ve always been attracted to living by the water. The ocean gets in your head and your soul. It can be humbling, relaxing, and intimidating.”
The pair met on the shores of Neah Bay and decided to make the Olympic Peninsula their home. Together, their Coville Fish Company provides high-grade seafood and thriving on community interaction.
The business, the pair said, is dedicated to quality, bringing only the highest grades of fish to their direct-to-consumer market. Dau splits his time fishing in the Alaskan waters of Bristol Bay during the salmon season and closer to home in Washington state waters for crab.
“We started our company to sell directly with more involvement with the customers and to bring back nice, high-quality fish to the community we live in so everyone can have access,” Dau explained.
“My favorite part of the job is interacting with customers,” Taylor added.
“Talking to the folks who come back to the market and tell us how they liked the fish, what they did with it, and getting that feedback.”
The secret to delivering top-notch seafood is meticulous care, from the moment the fish is caught to when it’s sold to consumers.
Aboard Coville Fish Company’s two trusty commercial fishing vessels, Johnny Utah and Lingwe, are the fish holds: tanks that circulate seawater kept at below 38 degrees Fahrenheit to preserve the catch of the day.
After processing the fish, the salmon is flash-frozen. This rapid method of freezing reduces the opportunity for the fish to degrade, creating a longer-lasting shelf life without concessions on flavor and quality.
“When taken care of properly, flash-frozen fish has the same quality as fresh but can be enjoyed year-round,” Dau explained.
The same commitment to quality extends to their smoked salmon, where only the highest-grade fillets find their way to the smoker.
For Dungeness crab lovers, Dau and Taylor emphasize that buying live crab and cooking it live is the way to go, reminding customers that crab season should be available mid-October.
Coville Fish Company will be at the Sequim Farmers and Artisans Market from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Oct. 7 and Oct. 21. Be sure to catch them and see their amazing food before the season dives out!
Bailey Loveless is the market director of the Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market.
Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market
Open: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 29
Location: Sequim Civic Center Plaza and Centennial Place, downtown Sequim
More info: director@sequimmarket.com, 360-582-6218
On the web: sequimmarket.com
Photo by Bailey Loveless/SFAM / A closer look at Coville Fish Company’s smoked salmon. Derek Dau and Jenny Taylor take no shortcuts with the quality of their smoked products, sending only the highest-grade fish to the smoker.
Photo courtesy of Coville Fish Company / Candied smoked salmon, lemon pepper and original alder-smoked sockeye, are some of Coville Fish Company’s offerings.
Photo courtesy of Coville Fish Company / Jenny Taylor is pictured on Johnny Utah, Coville Fish Company’s Washington-based crabbing vessel, during a crabbing season.
Courtesy of Coville Fish Company / Derek Dau is pictured salmon fishing in Bristol Bay, one of the largest and most sustainable salmon fisheries in the world.
