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Separating couple brings fresh fish to northern Colorado – Greeley Tribune
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Separating couple brings fresh fish to northern Colorado – Greeley Tribune

When it comes to seafood in Colorado, it may seem like a restaurant or vendor claiming to have the freshest fish is more hyperbole or a wink-and-wink impression. nod of the head.

This is not the case for Desirae Wieser. Far from it. She talks about the life of this fisherman.

“I’m a second-generation commercial fisherman and a first-generation fishmonger,” she said. A fishmonger is a person who sells raw fish and seafood.

The Wieser family has extensive experience in the commercial salmon industry and is proud that their fish represent Alaska’s finest seafood.

Wieser is originally from a fishing village in Northern Washington and brings her extensive knowledge, passion and love of fishing to Northern Colorado with her and her husband’s business, Fisherman’s Pride Wild Alaskan Seafood.

(Photo by John Robson Photography/The Greeley Tribune)A few fillets sold at Fisherman's Pride Wild Alaskan Seafood. The business is owned by John and Desirae Wieser.
Some fillets sold at Fisherman’s Pride Wild Alaskan Seafood. The business is owned by John and Desirae Wieser. (Courtesy/photography of John Robson)

Last year, the couple opened their business to bring fresh, legitimate fish and seafood to landlocked communities in Colorado. Her husband John is a Colorado native and grew up in the eastern part of the state farming with his family.

They wanted to open their business to bring the taste and flavor of Wieser’s home state to Colorado.

“When we first started seeing each other, she was getting salmon from her dad,” he said. “It’s unrivaled here in Colorado, and that’s where we started to see a clear opportunity.”

His father has worked in the commercial fishing industry for over 40 years.

When it comes to catching their fish, Wieser makes a point of knowing every detail of what she catches.

“If I don’t know where the boat came from, I just don’t care about the catch,” she said. “I want to know when he was caught. I want to know how quickly it was processed, because that’s how you get good fish.

She’s also strict about knowing everything about the catch, because she and John want to be transparent with customers so they know what they’re putting on their plates when they get home.

Some outlets buy their fish from wholesalers, Wieser said. Fish can be stored in the freezer for up to two years. So some sellers might claim their fish is fresh, but in reality it’s been sitting in the freezer for months, she said.

For Wieser, transparency is the overarching theme of the company.

Wieser and her husband make sure the fish they get are the best first by taking into account the gutting process. The fish must be gutted cleanly, as anything left in the fish will begin to rot. After being gutted, the fish should be packed in ice right side up rather than upside down. If the latter solution is done, it results in a chemical reaction which could sour the fish.

Wieser explained that fish should not touch each other while packed in ice and that when the blue line on a halibut disappears, it can mean it is aging, leading to chalky meat.

“I’m your local fish enthusiast,” she proclaimed.

The couple sells their produce at the Greeley Winter Farmers’ Market located at Zoe’s Cafe, 715 10th St. The winter market opened in early November. It is open from 9 a.m. to noon every first, third and fifth Saturday of the month until April. They have been setting up their stall at the winter market since last year, calling it a “hidden gem”.

“There are so many great things to visit and see,” she said. “We are one of them, but there are many others.”

In addition to providing information for “fish lovers” and fresh fish at the farmers’ market, Wieser provides correct cooking instructions for everything he buys. Most Coloradans — unless they’re from a coast or a good cook — don’t know how to cook fish properly. She said cooking it for a long time at high temperatures wasn’t the right solution: “It won’t end up well.” »

To order, see a list of what they offer, and get recipes, go to shopfishermanspride.com.