Broad whitefish (Coregonus nasus) is a large freshwater fish native to cold rivers, lakes, and coastal brackish waters across the Arctic and subarctic regions of North America and Siberia. It can grow to over 60 cm in length and several kilograms in weight.
The species is a cornerstone of traditional Indigenous food systems across Alaska, northern Canada, and Arctic Russia. Virtually every part of the fish is used — the flesh is eaten raw (frozen and sliced), boiled, smoked, or dried, while the head (including eyes, cheeks, and soft bones) and liver are considered delicacies with high cultural and nutritional significance.
Broad whitefish are anadromous or semi-anadromous in some populations, migrating between freshwater and brackish coastal waters. They feed primarily on invertebrates and are an ecologically important species in Arctic freshwater systems.
How it's produced
Broad whitefish are exclusively wild-caught. They are harvested using traditional and modern methods including gill nets, seine nets, and fish traps set in rivers and lakes during seasonal migrations. In many Arctic Indigenous communities, the autumn fishing season is a critical period for harvesting and preserving whitefish for winter.
Traditional preservation methods include air-drying, smoking, and freezing. In some communities, whole fish are stored frozen in underground ice cellars. There is no commercial aquaculture of this species. Subsistence and small-scale commercial fisheries are managed by regional authorities in Alaska and northern Canada.
What it costs the planet (per kilo)
≈ Estimated from its category — typical for other red meat, not measured for this item yet. Sources & methods →
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