Atlantic Salmon & Pacific Salmon
August 21, 2019
Atlantic Salmon and Pacific Salmon: A tale of two salmons. There’s more than just geographic location that sets these seemingly similar salmon apart… say THAT five times fast! From lifecycles to genus type, Atlantic and Pacific Salmon are more different than you may think. In fact, Atlantic salmon are actually closer in relation to a certain species of trout than they are to Pacific salmon. Interested? Great! Let’s dive a little deeper into the wonderful world of salmon!
Recipe By Seafood Crate
PACIFIC SALMON VS ATLANTIC SALMON : THE BASICS
Before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s get back to basics. One of the more obvious differences between these two salmon is their habitation. Atlantic salmon are larger in size and are from the Atlantic Ocean, while Pacific Salmon are from the Pacific Ocean. Have we lost you yet? Ha! Just kidding! Let’s keep diving…
There are seven species of Pacific Salmon. Five of which live in North American waters: chinook, coho, chum, sockeye, and pink. The remaining two, masu and amago, only live in Asian waters. As for Atlantic salmon? Well, there’s just the one species!
Now although both species belong to the Salmonidae family, that’s essentially where most of their similarities end. All seven species of Pacific salmon belong to the genus Oncorhynchus while the one lonely species of Atlantic salmon belong to the genus Salmo, closely related to Trout.
LIFE CYCLES
Salmon are infamous for their life cycle. After spending up to four years in the ocean, adults re-enter fresh rivers to spawn, swimming up to 30 to 50km per day against the current! Along their journey, they face numerous obstacles such as predators, dams, and rock slides before reaching their final destination. Salmon then redirect all of their energy toward the spawning process. They stop eating and live only on stored body fat, they absorb their scales to regulate water and salt levels, and they develop a long and hooked jaw. There are many more physical changes salmon must transition through in order to spawn successfully.
What’s next? Well most people are under the impression that once salmon have used up their energy to spawn, they die. However, this is only a certain fate for Pacific Salmon. Atlantic Salmon can recover in some cases, return to the sea, and repeat this pattern all over again.
FARM RAISED VS. WILD CAUGHT
Over-fishing has drastically affected the wild Atlantic salmon population. Numbers have dwindled so low that most Atlantic salmon you’ll find in the grocery stores or at restaurants is farmed. On the other hand, Pacific salmon is quite plentiful and is almost certainly always wild caught.
Here at Seafood Crate, we do things a little bit differently. Our Atlantic salmon actually comes from Northern Europe… NOT North American waters where populations are scarce. Northern European waters are home to one of the planet’s most plentiful, reliable, year-round sources of Atlantic salmon. Chemical free, sustainably harvested… this is the highest quality of salmon available. Period!
Our ASC Certified Pacific Salmon is farmed on the west coast. What is ASC certified? It means their farming environment is guaranteed sustainable. Our Pacific Salmon is raised to have a higher fat content, meaning YOU are treated to a tasty, flavourful fish. Trust us… we’ve tried it!
How do the two compare in terms of nutrient content? Both species are high in Omega-3 fatty acids and protein. So the choice is up to you! Which one is your favourite? Atlantic Salmon or Pacific Salmon?
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