Salmon return to the Copper River © Frans Lanting/plainpicture

This is the vast delta of the Copper River in south central Alaska. The river is known for its large salmon run, which starts in early May when the sockeye and king salmon come back in huge numbers to spawn. Accompanied by much marketing fanfare, this Copper River catch also signals the return of fresh wild Pacific salmon to grocery stores and restaurants. The price per pound, especially in the early days of the commercial season, is as rich as the fish are in Omega-3 fatty acids.