Which Salmon is Slammin?

EDIT: October 5, 2012 -->to add more nutrition facts and sustainability information.

Now that you have decided to lead a healthier lifestyle, you are ready to throw out your Oreo’s and leftover KFC, and get to the grocery store for nutrition-dense food options that will help build a new, and improved, You. The first item on your grocery list should be Wild Alaskan Salmon, because it’s loaded with Omega-3s DHA and EPA, Vitamin D, mercury and PCB free, and an excellent source of lean protein.

When you arrive at the seafood section to stock up, you realize you are in way over your head. With so many different kinds of salmon available, which is the best choice for you? To help you wade through the information, below is a breakdown of the many characteristics you should consider before you spend another dime, and why we think that you should switch to Alaska and J-Dock Seafood Co. for future salmon purchases, and all of your seafood needs. But first, let’s take a look at where the many different species are found, the differences, analyze farmed salmon versus wild, and hopefully help you make healthy eating decisions for you and your family.

 Atlantic Salmon and Danube (Huchen)

The only salmon specie in the Atlantic ocean, is the Atlantic Salmon, salmo salar. The Atlantic Salmon is iteroparous, capable of spawning more than once, and has a longer life cycle than the Pacific salmon species. 3 to 6 weeks after hatching in northeastern American rivers in early spring the alevins grow into fry. The fry quickly develop into parr and spend the next 1 to 3 years in their native streams becoming smolts and preparing to enter the open seas in spring. The smolts are silver colored and are ready to swim in saltwater. Once in the ocean, smolts mature into adults in two to three years, weighing approximately 8 to 15 pounds. (Source: Status Review for Anadromous Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) in the United States, 2006)

Atlantic Salmon populations began to disappear precipitously beginning in the 1990′s, because of overfishing, environmental degradation, and degenerative genetic mutation resulting from aquaculture. An international effort,  North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO), has worked to restore these fisheries, but progress is slow. Norwegian Salmon is Atlantic Salmon that is farmed in Norway.

Found solely in the Danube Basin, the Huchen, hucho hucho, is threatened with extinction. It has been introduced to headwaters and drainages throughout Europe, but is only maintained through stocking. The huchen, is on the IUCN red list and is not sustainably managed.

Pacific Salmon

Pacific salmon have a complex life cycle that spans a variety of freshwater and saltwater habitats
They are hatched in inland streams and rivers, migrate to coastal esuaries, and then disperse into ocean waters to grow. Being anadromous, meaning they migrate from saltwater to freshwater to spawn, they return to the streams from which they were hatched, possibly to the same bed of gravel, once mature. After spawning, pacific salmon soon die, returning much needed nutrients and food to the river bottoms and completing the circle of life.

There are six distinct species of which are all anadromous salmon are found in the Pacific Ocean: Chinook, Coho, Sockeye, Chum, Pink, and Cherry.

Cherry – Found only in the Western Pacific, tributaries range from Kamchatka, Korea, and Japan. This specie is over-fished and critically endangered.

Pink oncorhynchus gorbuscha – Harvested June through September, Pinks are the smallest and most abundant pacific salmon specie, it is also one of the most commercially harvested species of salmon. Pinks range 2-6 lbs, and usually feed on small crustaceans, zooplankton, swimming mollusks, and small fish. Pink Salmon is typically caught for canning, smoking, and salting purposes. In California and Washington, the specie is overfished and critically endangered, whereas in Alaska the fisheries remain bountiful. The flavor is mild and delicate, a soft to medium texture, and a rosy pink-colored flesh.

Serving size: 3.5 oz or 100g cooked, edible portion
Calories 150; Protein 25g, Fat 4g, Saturated Fat 1g; Sodium 85mg, Cholesterol 65mg; Omega-3 1300mg

Chum (Keta/Silverbrite) oncorhynchus keta – Harvested June through September and although plentiful, Chum is typically not sought after for its commercial value. Chum is found throughout the North Pacific coastlines, from California in the east, to Korea in the western Pacific, but is most abundant in Alaska. Chums range 6-12 lbs, and usually feed on zooplankton and small adult fishes, and occasionally squid. The flesh is a pink color, with a firm texture, and mild flavor.

Serving size: 3.5 oz or 100g cooked, edible portion
Calories 155; Protein 26g, Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 1g; Sodium 65mg, Cholesterol 95mg; Omega-3 800mg

Sockeye Salmon (Red) oncorhynchus nerka – The Sockeye Salmon is harvested May through September and ranges from Washington to Northern Japan and is one of the most commercially desired specie of salmon for its stronger flavor, firmer texture, and extremely low mercury levels. This is thought to be a result of what is primarily a zooplankton diet; they also eat small adult fishes, such as sand lance, and occasionally squid. Sockeye Salmon ranges between 4-10 lbs and  is commonly sold as fresh/frozen fillets and canned. The only sustainable source of Sockeye, is from British Columbia and Alaska. Sockeye salmon is known for it's rich and robust flavor, firm texture, and deep red color. According to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), "Fresh, fresh-frozen, or canned Alaska sockeye salmon provides the highest amount of Omega-3 fatty acids of any fish,"except King Salmon and Black Cod(Sablefish).

Serving size: 3.5 oz or 100g cooked, edible portion
Calories 220; Protein 27g, Fat 11g, Saturated Fat 2g; Sodium 65mg, Cholesterol 85mg; Omega-3 1200mg

Coho Salmon (Silver) oncorhynchus kisutch –Harvested via trolling, gillnet, or purse seine from June through October and predominantly found in the coastal waters of Alaska and British Columbia, Coho Salmon is a favorite among sport fisherman for its athletic duress. Although not quite as high in unsaturated fat as Sockeye and Chinook, it is considerably high, and considered fine table fare. The taste of Coho salmon is relatively delicate, and pairs well with many dishes. The flesh is a firm orange-red and the fish usually weighs between 5-18 lbs. eating zooplankton, small adult fishes, and squid. This specie accounts for approximately 3.5% of the annual salmon harvest in Alaska.

Serving size: 3.5 oz or 100g cooked, edible portion
Calories 140; Protein 23g, Fat 4.5g, Saturated Fat 1g; Sodium 60mg, Cholesterol 55mg; Omega-3 1100mg

Chinook Salmon (King) oncorhynchus tshawytscha – The king of salmon, Chinook has the highest concentrations of essential fatty acids, oils, vitamins and minerals firm flesh texture and succulent flavor. King Salmon are harvested year-round and live in deeper, colder, and larger waters, as well as venture further up a tributary for spawning, which makes the Chinook Salmon the biggest and strongest of all salmon species. King Salmon is found on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, unfortunately it is over-fished just about everywhere but Alaska.

Serving size: 3.5 oz or 100g cooked, edible portion
Calories 230; Protein 26g, Fat 13g, Saturated Fat 3g; Sodium 60mg, Cholesterol 85mg; Omega-3 1700mg
 



Farmed Salmon vs. Wild Salmon
Now that we have covered the many different species, let’s discuss the pros and cons of farmed vs. wild salmon:

Wild salmon, simply put, is salmon that is gill-netted or line caught directly out of the ocean or tributaries. No matter where it is from, wild salmon is considered to be unique in it’s nutritional density. ALL ALASKAN SALMON IS WILD, because farming is outlawed in Alaska to preserve the wild fisheries!

Aquaculture, or fish-farming, is performed by maintaining a fish population in a giant net. Typically the nets are packed full, having destructive environmental consequences. Excessive fish waste and overcrowding reduces oxygen levels in the water, which destroys other marine life. In addition, escaped salmon, will return to wild populations and quickly spread their diseases acquired from poor living conditions. Finally, because of their limited mobility within their confined habitat, the nutritional benefits of farmed salmon are low, compared to athletic wild salmon.

 80% of the world’s salmon that is eaten comes from a farm, according to George Mateljan of The World’s Healthiest Foods, and, “it is harder and harder to find wild-caught salmon that live in their native habitat.” George adds, “with respect to sustainability, we have been impressed with the work of the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California and its establishment of Alaskan salmon as the only low-risk salmon in terms of four sustainability criteria: the inherent vulnerability of the fish, the effects of fishing on the overall habitat, the status of wild stocks, and the nature of the by-catch (fish other than salmon that are caught unintentionally during salmon fishing).”

Salmon Summary
There are many options when it comes to choosing salmon for your diet, but why choose anything that doe not support your goal of a healthier lifestyle? At J-Dock Seafood Co., we think you should only choose wild Alaskan salmon.

 

If you’ve ever tasted fresh-caught wild Alaskan salmon, you know that no store-bought version in the Lower 48 can come close. Thanks to J-Dock Seafood Company, Wild Alaskan salmon caught in the Gulf of Alaska today can be on your table tomorrow, just as flavorful and fresh as when it was caught. Take your pick of the finest, fattest salmon in the world through J-Dock Seafood Co. of Resurrection Bay, Alaska.

Wild Alaskan Salmon at J-Dock Seafood Co.

Among the wild Alaskan salmon we offer is wild Alaskan King Salmon, Coho Salmon and Sockeye Salmon. The wild Alaskan salmon of the Kenai Peninsula are famously rich in taste, which comes partly from healthy fat content. Each is also rich in Omega 3s, which are vital for heart health. Cooked up in a variety of ways, the wild Alaskan salmon from J-Dock Seafood will astound you with its flavor.

When you cook wild Alaskan salmon, you’ll find that any recipe will create a mouth-watering experience that showcases these incredible fishes. The flavor is flash-frozen and vacuum-packed by the J-Dock Seafood crew right on our dock each day. We buy directly from environmentally aware Alaskan fishermen with whom we have long-standing relationships. This way, you know you’re getting the best salmon, sustainably caught, processed, packaged, and frozen using the freshest method possible.

From our dock to your doorstep, we ship in just one day with Fedex Priority Overnight. Just click on the “Seafood Market” section of our website right now. You’ll quickly see how easy it is to have beautiful wild Alaskan salmon on your dinner menu tomorrow.


Nutrition facts sourced from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute