Description: Pink salmon has shiny silvery skin, very small scales and large black spots on the back and tail. Its flesh colour is light rose pink, the palest of the 5 Pacific salmon species. Whole pink salmon have an average weight of approximately 2 kg (4 lbs), but can range between 1 kg (2 lbs) and 2.7 kg (6 lbs). It has a mild, delicate flavour and a softer texture than that of the other species.

Product Forms: While the majority of the pink catch is canned, it is also available fresh or frozen, either whole or as steaks, chunks or “roasts” (headed, gutted, tailed). Pinks are often used in value-added products such as burgers, sausages or marinated fillets.

Availability: Usually plentiful supplies of fresh pink salmon are available locally during its summer (July/August) harvest season. It is available frozen throughout the balance of the year. Canned and value-added products are available year round.

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. Simply 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 refreeze if it has been allowed to partially thaw.

Preparation/Usage: With its lower fat content, cooking with moist heat or marinating before cooking and basting frequently are recommended for wild pink salmon. While its delicate flesh demands careful handling, its subtle, light flavour and convenient size lends itself to many culinary applications. 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 pink salmon are found along the Pacific west coast from Puget Sound to the Yukon. They are also found in Asia’s north Pacific coastal waters.

Harvest Volume: During the five-year period, 1996 to 2000, annual harvests of pink salmon ranged between 4,000 and 12,000 tonnes.

Harvest Method: The commercial salmon fishing fleet is comprised of troll, seine and gillnet gear types with the seine fleet accounting for approximately 75% of the annual pink harvest. 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 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.