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Description: Ocean-caught chums have a dark
metallic blue-green back becoming silver on the
sides and belly. As they mature and approach fresh
water they can be distinguished by the watermarks
(dark vertical bars) that appear on their sides.
Their flesh colour is reddish-pink though it fades
as the watermarks appear. Whole chum salmon
have an average weight of approximately 3.5 kg
(8 lbs), but can range between 2 kg (4 lbs) and
9 kg (20 lbs). It has a mild, less full-bodied flavour
and firm flesh with a slightly drier texture due to
its low fat content.
Product Forms: Wild chum is sold fresh or
frozen in the usual product forms: whole, dressed,
steaks, chunks or “roasts” (headed, gutted, tailed).
Chum is often used in value-added products such
as burgers or patties and often appears under the
name “keta” when canned. Chum roe is produced
for the Japanese market.
Availability: Generally chum is available fresh
during the period from July through November.
The majority of the annual catch is frozen.
Buying Tips: When selecting a fresh salmon
make sure the eyes are bright and clear and its
skin shiny with tightly adhering scales. Fresh
salmon has only a faint, ocean-fresh aroma.
Its flesh should be firm to the touch and bounce
quickly back into shape when gently pressed.
When selecting fillets and steaks look for firm,
moist, translucent flesh.
Storing Tips: Keep it clean, keep it cold and
handle it with care. Fresh salmon should be kept
well-chilled at a temperature around 0°C (32°F).
While it’s best to purchase salmon on the day you
plan to serve it, you can refrigerate fresh salmon
up to 2 days. Rinse gently in cold water; pat dry;
then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. If purchased
frozen, keep salmon at a constant temperature of
–18°C (0°F) or colder. Do not re-freeze if it has been
allowed to partially thaw.
Preparation/Usage: Chum is best suited to
cooking methods such as poaching and steaming,
or any method where added moisture is provided.
However, its firm flesh also makes it an excellent
candidate for grilling as long as it is marinated to
provide extra moisture. To cook salmon perfectly,
follow the “Canadian Rule”: 10 minutes of cooking
per 2.5 cm (1 inch) of thickness. Measure at its
thickest point (its depth not its width), including
stuffing if used. It’s done when flesh is opaque
and separates into moist sections when firmly
prodded with a fork at its thickest part.
Area of Origin and Range of Availability:
Wild chum salmon are found in the Pacific from
northern California to the Yukon. They are found
as far north as the Bering Sea and are also in
abundance in the coastal waters off Japan.
Harvest Volume: During the five-year period,
1996 to 2000, annual harvests of chum ranged
between 3,000 and 20,000 tonnes.
Harvest Method:
The commercial salmon fishing
fleet is comprised of troll, seine and gillnet gear
types with seiners and gillnetters harvesting most
of the annual chum catch. Seiners use large nets to
encircle the fish, which are then drawn together into
a “purse” so that the fish cannot escape. Gillnetters,
the smallest vessels of the fleet, stay ...
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close to shore with their nets in tow behind them. The way the nets
are suspended and the choice of mesh size allow
the selective targetting of certain species and sizes
of fish. The trolling method of hooks and lines uses
different lures depending on the salmon species
being sought. Most of the chum harvest occurs in
the fall.
Processing Method: By adhering to strict
grading and handling methods both on-board and
at the processing plant, British Columbia’s
commercial fishing industry can guarantee delivery
of top quality salmon whether fresh, frozen, smoked
or canned. Small volumes of troll-caught chum
salmon are processed at sea; often carefully handled
and FAS (frozen-at-sea). In this process, the salmon
is bled and dressed as quickly as possible after being
caught. It is then immediately glazed (a thin coat of
ice achieved by dipping the frozen fish several times
in fresh, cold water) -sealing air away from the fish
-and finally quick frozen. This process captures the
fresh-caught flavour while preserving its texture and
colour.
Markets: Usually plentiful supplies of fresh chum
are available locally during its summer harvest
season. The United States is the major importer of
both fresh and frozen Canadian chum taking nearly
all of annual fresh chum exports and nearly half of
annual frozen chum exports.
Sustainability: The commercial salmon fishing
fleet is strictly controlled on where, when and how
they fish. It employs selective harvesting techniques
which, in conjunction with close monitoring of run
size and catches, allow for optimum escapement
levels, that is the number of salmon returning to
spawn. This conservation-based fisheries
management regime permits the controlled harvest
of more abundant wild salmon stocks while
protecting weaker ones as they rebuild.
Historical and Anecdotal Information:
Chum feeds on more “ocean jellies” than other Pacific
salmon resulting in a lower fat content and a flavour
distinctive from the other Pacific salmon species.
Its flavour often appeals to those seeking a milder
salmon taste. “Silver-bright” is the quality grade
designation for premium, ocean-run chum; the skin
on this fish is shiny silver. The grade designations
“semi-bright” and “dark” describe chum as they
mature and watermarks on their skin become more
pronounced.
| NUTRITIONAL
INFORMATION |
| Per
3.5 oz/100 grams of raw edible portion |
 |
| Calories |
126 |
| Total
fat |
3.7
g |
| Saturated
fat |
0.99
g |
| Protein |
23.1
g |
| Cholesterol |
38.0
mg |
| Sodium |
92.7
mg |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids |
0.81
g |
|
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Source: Fisheries Council of British Columbia |
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For Additional Information And A List
Of Current Product Suppliers, Contact:
| BC
Salmon Marketing Council
1100-1200 West 73rd Avenue,
Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada V6P 6G5
Phone: 604.267.3030
Fax: 604.266.3097
email: bcsmc@bcsalmon.ca
website: www.bcsalmon.ca |
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