
Large, ruby-red sockeye roe from the world's most abundant wild salmon fishery.
| Origin | Bristol Bay, Alaska, USA |
| Indian subcontinent | No |
| Category | Global Rare Foods & Ingredients |
| Retail price band | $$$ ($30–$70 per lb retail, cured/salted) |
| Bulk / trade price band | Wholesale frozen ikura: indicative $12–$25/kg (ex-vessel/processor, grade-dependent) |
| Sourcing status | Dossier researched from public sources — producer contact not yet established |
| Compliance status | Preliminary review complete (see below) — not yet legally verified |
Ikura is cured sockeye (or other Pacific) salmon roe, separated into individual eggs, typically brined in salt or soy-based tare; sockeye roe is valued for its deep red-orange color, firm pop and clean flavor compared to other Pacific salmon species.
Bristol Bay, Alaska hosts the world's largest sockeye salmon run, with fish caught by permitted drift and set gillnet fleets under Alaska Department of Fish and Game escapement-based management; roe is separated and processed at shore-based or floating processors soon after catch to preserve freshness.
Bristol Bay accounts for roughly half of global sockeye harvest and a large share of world wild salmon roe supply; demand is driven by Japanese ikura/sushi markets and growing US/European gourmet retail, with Bristol Bay branding used as a premium sustainability marketing point.
Bristol Bay sockeye fishery is Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified for sustainability and managed under strict state escapement-goal regulation; export requires FDA/USDC seafood inspection compliance and, for EU-bound product, EU health-certificate seafood import rules. Not CITES-listed.
A working reference photograph is in place, captured from a freely-licensed Wikimedia Commons source. Ikuradon, a bowl of rice topped with salmon roe (ikura), Flickr user Blue Lotus, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Note: illustrative of ikura generally; not documented as wild Alaskan sockeye specifically. Treat this as a placeholder for marketing purposes: exact licence terms should be re-verified on the Commons file page, and original producer photography is recommended before final trade use.