RELATIVE COST
4 – 5 Stars
The difficult and complex life cycle of the wild salmon make it an extraordinary and impressive fish. Wild salmon are anadromous: they are born in fresh water, migrate to the ocean, then return to fresh water to reproduce. Atlantic salmon spend around one to four years in the open ocean where they gradually become sexually mature. The adult salmon then return primarily to their natal streams to spawn. Salmon eggs are laid in freshwater streams typically at high latitudes.
To lay her roe, the female salmon uses her tail to lift gravel excavating a shallow depression called a redd. The redd may sometimes contain 5,000 eggs covering 30 square feet (2.8 m2). The eggs usually range from orange to red in colour. One or more males will approach the female in her redd, depositing his sperm, or milt, over the roe. The female then covers the eggs in gravel before moving on to make another redd. The female will make as many as seven redds before her supply of eggs is exhausted. The eggs hatch in spring and live off their nutritious egg sac for a few weeks before starting to forage for tiny aquatic insects on their own. Mortality of salmon in the early life stages is usually high due to natural predation and human-induced changes in habitat, such as siltation, high water temperatures, low oxygen concentration, loss of stream cover, reductions in river flow and transforming from a freshwater environment to harsh, salty one. It estimated that for every 5,000 eggs laid only 50 juveniles will make it to sea. Estuaries and wetlands provide vital nursery areas for the juvenile salmon prior to their departure to the open ocean. The lucky ones who make it to the open ocean will feed on sand eels, herring, capelin, prawns, squid and crabs – all high protein foods which help them to fatten and grow before the whole cycle starts again.
QUIRKY FACT
The overwhelming majority of salmon eaten in the UK is farmed Atlantic salmon from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. UK consumers eat more than one million fresh salmon meals every day, spending some £630 million a year on this extraordinary Wild salmon stocks have been decimated over the last 100 years and there aren’t enough wild salmon in the sea to satisfy our hungry appetites. Fish farming seemed to be the answer and farmed salmon is now Scotland’s largest food export – and business is booming. Whilst there is no doubt salmon farming is meeting current consumer demand, many environmentalists, scientists and celebrity chefs think salmon farming isn’t without its consequences. It’s certainly a topic up for debate!
Fortunately in Northumberland we have two of the best Salmon rivers in England – the Tyne and the Tweed. Whilst remaining the salmon’s friend from a conservation point of view our inshore fishermen do bring home some of the wildest, tastiest salmon during the season. However we do recommend wild salmon as a delicacy and would like to highlight its high conservation risk before purchase.
COOKING / EATING BENEFITS
Classified as an oily fish, salmon is considered to be healthy due to its high protein, high omega-3 fatty acids, and high vitamin D content. The most beneficial Omega-3 fats occur naturally in oily fish and contribute to a healthy brain function, the heart joints and healthy wellbeing. As an ingredient salmon offers great versatility. It can be purchased as either steak or fillets, fresh, frozen, canned or smoked. Fresh salmon lends itself to baking, barbequing, poaching, steaming or grilling and can be paired with many different flavours. It can also be served raw as delicate sashimi.
Traditionalists prefer salmon when it’s poached, served with a creamy hollandaise sauce or mayonnaise. It can also be deep-fried as tempura and cooked with Asian flavours such as soy, sesame, chilli and ginger. Cooked whole or as sandwiched whole fillets, salmon is a great fish to use when catering for large numbers.
