Salmon is increasingly a widespread product, not exclusively relegated to party tables, but very present in daily menus. More accessible economically than in the past, it is favored by those who want to follow a healthy diet rich in precious nutrients. Because, you know, fish is good for health, but it must also do well at sea. Therefore, the choice must be made in respect of the cycles and seasons of the product.
As for the salmon, it is better to prefer the specimens than they go up the rivers and those who live in the open sea. The Alaskan Wild Salmon it is a fish that moves continuously through rivers and seas, it feeds exclusively on what its territory offers and for this it has compact and less fatty meats than the farmed fish. A high quality product, which also respects the ecosystem and for this reason is excellent, both for its taste and its healthy appearance.
All properties
Wild salmon caught in the waters of Alaska, among the cleanest in the world, is rich in nutrients and provides high quality proteins, with all the amino acids necessary for the body. Its meat is a source of "good" fats Omega 3 and important vitamins, such as D, which plays a fundamental role in bone health, and B vitamins (B6 and B12). Furthermore, it contains selenium, a valuable ally for its antioxidant properties.
5 types of salmon
I'm five wild salmon species that are born in the waters of the rivers of Alaska and then spend their adult life in the North of the Pacific Ocean. Alaskan salmon is anadromous, that is, it is born in fresh waters, it goes up the currents towards the ocean and then returns to the rivers where it was born to lay eggs. It belongs to the genus Oncorhynchus, from the Greek "onco", which means hook or chin and "rhyno", which means nose.
The five species are known as: the real salmon, the largest species in Alaska, thanks to its size and the intense flavor of the meat, it is very popular in the kitchens of the best restaurants. The red salmon it has medium dimensions and a thinner shape than the other species and is characterized by the intense red color of its flesh. Ideal for cold smoking. The silver salmon is the species most similar to psalm roomr of the Atlantic and is the most popular wild salmon among European smokers. The keta salmon medium in size, it has a perfect balance between compact consistency, delicate flavor and affordable price. From the Keta we get the salmon caviar known by the Japanese name Ikura. Finally, the pink salmon, the smallest and most abundant species in Alaska and therefore also the cheapest one.
Fishing and its rules
The rules for wild salmon fishing are very strict: the areas where fishing is allowed are monitored day by day during the capture season (between May and September / October). It is not allowed to fish nor too far from the coast, where there is the risk of intercepting salmon directed to the rivers, nor too close, where there are large gatherings of fish.
Even the use of fishing equipment is strictly controlled, all networks have predetermined dimensions and well-defined periods of use. For example, fishing with trawl nets is not allowed, so all this eliminates the accidental capture of marine mammals or birds, avoiding undesirable effects on the survival of the species.
Fisheries management, regulated byAlaska Department of Fish and Game, is considered a real model, which manages to ensure appropriate escape routes for adult breeding salmon, during capture in fishing areas, so as to allow the reproduction areas to be reached in fresh water.
Worked by small communities
Even today, as in the past, fishing in the open sea and the processing of wild salmon on land represents an important source of income for the economy of the small communities that inhabit the coasts of Alaska.
Much of the commercially fished salmon, before moving on to the distribution between retailers and restaurants, to then reach the final consumer, is processed in processing plants in coastal villages, which have every interest in maintaining fisheries management and related activities as sustainable as possible and respectful of nature.
On our tables, wild salmon is available fresh in the months in which the fishing takes place, while it is found frozen or smoked in other periods of the year, thanks to techniques that do not penalize quality and flavor at all.
Mariacristina Coppeto
May 2019
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