They usually return as adults to the same streams where they were born to spawn and begin the cycle again. Salmon are economically and culturally important around the world. Mature males develop a … Matt worked his first kitchen job in the country of Malta at the age of 15. King salmon. Here are the five major Pacific salmon varieties, listed in order of richness: King (chinook). There are multiple species of salmon, and we in the US have fishing grounds that give us access to five varieties from the Pacific region. All Chicken, All the Time! Make a symbolic animal adoption to help save some of the world's most endangered animals from extinction and support WWF's conservation efforts. Mild and delicate, Atlantic salmon is an all-around crowd-pleaser, both in terms of flavor and overall bang for your buck. Pacific salmon enrich terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems with essential marine-based nutrients when they complete their lifecycle. Japanese: Masunosuke. Wild Pacific Salmon. We are working to protect key spawning areas by stopping the creation of Pebble Mine, the largest open-pit mine in North America. But within the Pacific salmon genus, Oncorhynchus, there are five main species–and they are all very different. The smallest, leanest salmon, caught in the Pacific, it has soft, bland, pink flesh. Now the US Army Corps of Engineers is attempting to fast track the mine's permit application and we must take action now. These fish are born in freshwater streams and rivers, migrate to coastal estuaries, then enter the ocean where they mature. Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) Pinks are the smallest of the Pacific salmon and weigh up to 3 kg. Lakes & Rivers, Oceans. Controversy swirls over the health benefits of eating Atlantic and Pacific salmon. Now the Executive Chef at Wildwood Grilling, he thoroughly enjoys his day job. In very rare cases, and in very isolated locations, there have been a few sockeye and chum salmon identified with small spots on their back or tail. The fish are typically classified by the geographic location where they are found. Pro Team Application They begin their lives in freshwater streams, lakes, and rivers and migrate to the sea as small fish called smolts. For comparison, a 6-ounce serving of farmed Atlantic salmon has 311 calories, 18.5 grams of fat (53%), and 33.9 grams of protein. Washington, DC 20037. King Salmon. There are a few physical characteristics that do not change as the adult salmon begins its spawning migration. Commercial setnetters pick sockeye salmon from their setnets at Ekuk in the Nushagak district in Bristol Bay, Alaska. Threats to wild Pacific salmon include illegal harvest (poaching), habitat destruction from development and mining activities, dams and other blockages in rivers, unregulated overharvesting, and a rapidly changing climate. The flesh is deep red with tinges of orange. This video teaches us how to identify the 5 types of Pacific Salmon. In the rich ocean environment salmon can grow rapidly, gaining more than a pound a month. Pink salmon has a mild flavor, texture and low fat content. View our inclusive approach to conservation. Chinook salmon have been introduced in New Zealand and Patagonia. They begin their lives in freshwater streams, lakes, and rivers and migrate to the sea as small fish called smolts. The flavor of King salmon is very rich; this attributes to the high levels of fat it contains. All rights reserved. The genus Oncorhynchus contains eight species which occur naturally only in the North Pacific. Salmon play a major role in many economies. If you're looking to stick to wild salmon, you're going to want to go with Pacific salmon, of which there are five types: King, Sockeye, Coho, Pink, and Chum. Coho salmon, also known as silver salmon, is best for those who don’t like the bold flavor of sockeye salmon. It is the type most commonly used for canned salmon. These salmon mature and return to freshwater within 2 - 8 years. Decline of Oncorhynchus populations. We combat illegal fishing, promote well-managed fisheries, and argue for more effective control of farmed salmon. Most Pacific Salmon is wild, but there are some instances where it is farmed. Pacific waters are home to five types of salmon. As salmon grow in the ocean environment, they accumulate marine nutrients, storing them in their bodies. Sockeye salmon is a Pacific variety recognizable by its deep red color, fatty texture, and strong smell (though it should never be too fishy). These eggs will “incubate” for a certain amount of time depending on the type of salmon and the temperature of the water. This species extends to the north reaching the central Canadian Arctic and to the south to the central California coast. The fat content is lower, so the texture is a little more delicate. This is the largest of the salmon family. Each of the other five types of salmon are found in the Pacific ocean. Salmon sold as “wild” salmon are Pacific salmon. © 2021 World Wildlife Fund. However, only a small percentage of salmon live … This video teaches us how to identify the 5 types of Pacific Salmon. Pacific salmon may swim hundreds, even thousands, of miles to get back to the stream where they hatched. Sadly, most wild Atlantic salmon stocks were wiped out or severely depleted years ago by over-fishing, but in a few places, these wild stocks are recovering.The question then becomes is farm… Atlantic Salmon: While there are five types of Pacific salmon, there is only one Atlantic variety. The flavor is rich due to its higher fat content, second only to King Salmon. Coho, freshwater sockeye, and Atlantic salmon have been established in Patagonia, as well. Masu and amago salmon occur only … After they transition from fresh to salt water and grow into adults in the high seas of the North Pacific Ocean, a biological clock tells the salmon when it's time to return to the place of their birth to spawn a new generation. With so many species of fish to fish for in BC waters, there is something to catch at practically any time of the year. Native groups celebrate the first return of salmon and individuals catch and store salmon for their families to eat all winter. WWF advocates for oil spill prevention, spill response, and shipping safety measures as a precondition for offshore oil development. One of the most popular fish that draws anglers to our region is salmon. A Roundup of our Favorite Chicken Recipes. Here are our favorite varieties of salmon sourced in the Pacific Ocean (these are all wild caught). It is the finest type of … Visit our Outlet Site, 726 East Shingle Mill Road, Sandpoint ID 83864 USA, [contact-form-7 id=”493″ title=”Want more recipe ideas?”], Using Wood Pellets in your Grill or Smoker. It also goes by the name Red Salmon. WWF promotes the concept of sustainable seafood to fisheries, retailers, and consumers and rewards sustainable fishing practices. There are seven species of Pacific salmon. Cedar Wrapped Salmon with Herbs and Lemon, Copper River Salmon: Celebrating Summer’s First Fish. This debate has nothing to do with wild Atlantic salmon, though. These are the chum and the sockeye. I can attest that any one of these tastes fantastic on a grilling plank. Also known as silver salmon due its skin color. Chinook/king, coho/silver, chum/dog, pink/humpy and sockeye/red are found throughout the Pacific Northwest. These are Chinook, Coho, Sockeye, Pink, and Chum Salmon. He has worked as a restaurant Chef in Arizona, Maine, Spain, the UK, Oregon and finally North Idaho. The Chinook salmon is also known in the United States as King salmon, or black salmon and is the largest of all the Pacific Ocean salmon, (weighs more than 14 kilograms). Pacific salmon are native to coastal regions of northeastern Asia (Japan, Korea and Russia) and western North America from California to Alaska. Return & Refund Policy | Privacy Policy A preferred species and considered the best by many. Fertilized egg stage – Every Alaskan salmon starts out as an egg in a gravel bed in a freshwater river or creek. In Washington state, Alaska, and other places, there are five types of Pacific salmon that are born in streams and rivers before making their way to the Pacific Ocean and the Salish Sea. As a group, these are known as Pacific salmon. Pacific salmon and steelhead have a dynamic life cycle that includes time in fresh and saltwater habitats. Pinks feed on zooplankton and krill, which gives the flesh a pink colour. Pink salmon, sometimes referred to as ‘humpback,’ is the smallest type of Pacific salmon, and it mainly lives in the North Pacific, particularly around the Alaska area. Two species of Pacific salmon do not have spots on their back or tail at all. 1250 24th Street, N.W. Although it can be eaten fresh, this species is usually canned, dried and smoked. Here are our favorite varieties of salmon sourced in the Pacific Ocean (these are all wild caught). Try one of our favorite salmon recipes: Cedar Planked Teriyaki Salmon, Cedar Wrapped Salmon with Herbs and Lemon, Cedar Planked Salmon Burgers, and Cedar Planked Salmon with Fruit Salsa. Salmon and wood smoke, anyone? Atlantic Salmon are actually more closely related to Brown Trout than other Salmon species. Sockeye salmon (red, blueback): Second to the chinook in fat content, the sockeye salmon also has dark red flesh. Five come from the Pacific coast and are called Pacific Salmon. It's not that Atlantic salmon is bad, it's just that there are very few Atlantic salmon found in the wild today, due to overfishing and habitat destruction. I recommend giving them all a try. The first three — king, red and silver — are considered the best and are therefore the most expensive. Five of them occur in North American waters: chinook, coho, chum, sockeye, and pink. Coho Salmon Jobs To confuse matters, each of these has at least one other name as well as their Latin name, as noted below. Let’s look a bit closer at the 8 types of salmon. Pacific sockeye salmon are among the most highly prized of the wild salmon species (for their rich red color and firm texture), however attempts to farm them have not been commercially successful. The flesh can vary from white to a deep red. Atlantic Salmon is endangered in the wild, so virtually all of it is now farmed. Want to learn even more about salmon? There are six types of Salmon in North America. Raising salmon in a controlled environment can sometimes have a bit of a stigma, however, as the industry has grown, new regulations and practices have caused aquaculture to make great strides in terms of sustainability. Commonly known as the steelhead trout, coastal rainbow trout, silver trout, salmon trout, ironhead, or steelie this salmon has historically been idolized as a trophy game fish. Most salmon sold in the U.S. are farmed Atlantic salmon. Instead of farmed, the term ‘Aquaculture’ is emerging as a new industry term. Sometimes referred to by its not so flattering name, Chum Salmon. Two types of Pacific salmon are easy to find across America– Sockeye and Pink salmon, while the rest can be a little trickier to find. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. My personal favorite. Join us to make change. Usually sold in foreign markets, this species has a pale color and is fairly lean, compared to other varieties. FAST FACT: Sockeye salmon are the only species that are bright red when canned. A preferred species and considered the best by many. These types of kokanee salmon show the principal attributes of a biological species: they are reproductively isolated and show strong resources partitioning. (All nutrition information based on 6 ounces, raw.) The flesh is a bright red color and this species is considered the most popular for sport fisherman. Yet its future is in jeopardy from the proposal for Pebble Mine. It wasn’t raised in the wild and caught but rather through an aquatic farming operation. The Pacific Ocean is home to six types of salmon, and U.S. and Canadian boats fish five of them: King, Sockeye, Silver, Pink, and Chum. All Pacific salmon are anadromous. Although wild Atlantic salmon is delicious, all Atlantic salmon on the market, yes all, is farmed. Copyright © 2021 Wildwood Grilling • All Rights Reserved Different Types of Salmons to Eat. Read our Guide to Buying Wild-Caught Salmon and learn more about Copper River Salmon: Celebrating Summer’s First Fish. Five species of Pacific salmon thrive in the North Pacific waters of the US and Canada: chinook (also called king), coho, pink, sockeye, and chum salmon. Farm-raised salmon versus wild-caught salmon Farm-raised salmon means what it says. Coho has a very similar flavor to King. For the indigenous people of the Pacific Rim, salmon are a primary source of protein and also a part of their culture. World Wildlife Fund Inc. is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax ID number 52-1693387) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Salmon spawn in virtually all types of freshwater habitat, from intertidal areas to high mountain streams. The flesh can vary from white to a deep red. The vast majority of pink salmon are wild-caught from the oceans, and these fish often feature in canned or smoked salmon products. The 5 Types of Pacific Salmon in British Columbia Waters. Also known as humpback salmon due to the apparent hump that forms during spawning. The other one traditionally lives in the Atlantic and is simply called Atlantic Salmon. They differ from other salmon species in that hey can return multiple times to spawn. It can be purchased as steaks or fillets and is best enjoyed grilled or smoked. Great Nutrient Cycle . The BC Salmon Marketing Council. Speak up for species and places through WWF's Action Center. There are two Pacific salmon species that are farmed: Coho (aka 'Silver') and King (aka "chinook", "spring" "blackmouth") salmon. First, adult Pacific salmon that have spots on their back or tail do not lose them. Also known as Chinook. Five species of Pacific salmon thrive in the North Pacific waters of the US and Canada: chinook (also called king), coho, pink, sockeye, and chum salmon. 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