There are five species of wwild ssalmon in Alaska. King, Sockeye, Coho, Keta and Pink. There are no farmed salmon in Alaska! In fact it is illegal to farm salmon in Alaska. The salmon rivers in Alaska are very stable and should remain so into the future. The Alaska Department of Fish & Game regulate and manage the salmon runs on an individual stream basis. This mean that each spawning stream has it's own unique escapement goal that must be reached before any fishing activities start. Certain areas are comprised of a few "openers" per week. Each opening ranging from 24 to 48 hours according to the escapement goal set forth by Fish & Game Biologists.
King Salmon - also called Chinook and Spring Salmon
Identification: Blue green to black backs with Black spots, silver sides. Black spots on back and tail. Dark colored or black gums. Salmon over 30 lbs are likely to be Kings.
Size: Average 18 - 20 lbs, range 4 to 40 lbs, sometimes even larger.
Sockeye Salmon - also called Red Salmon
Identification: Bluish green with fine black speckling on dorsal side, silvery below, no large spots on back.
Size: Average 6 lbs, range 4 to 10 lbs.
Silver Salmon - also called Coho Salmon
Identification: Metallic blue on dorsal surface, silvery below; black spots on back; Gums white.
Size: Average 10 lbs, range 4 to 18 lbs.
Skin Color - Wild Alaskan salmon skin color is variable depending on species, location of harvest, sexual maturity, and is not correlated with grades.
Meat Color - Meat color is variable depending on species,location of harvest, sexual maturity, and is not correlated with grades. Chinook salmon have both both red and white meat. Coho salmon meat color ranges from pinkish-red to pale pink. Sockeye salmon meat color is red.
Cold Smoked - has a delicious, moist texture and mild flavor. Commonly called Lox, Nova Scotia-Style or Nova, this smoked Salmon has been cured under salt and lightly smoked at very low temperatures.
Hot Smoked - is cured in a brine solution and smoked at high temperatures creating a flakier texture and stronger smoked flavor than Lox or Nova.
