Alaska Salmon Melts Recipe: 59 Photos
Blackened Cajun Alaska King Salmon — PLATE pictures
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FAQ
King salmon (Chinook salmon) is the largest species of Pacific salmon, and considered by many as the most valuable. Wild king salmon has a dense meaty texture, a rich fatty consistency, and has a full fresh fish flavor with a hint of sweetness.
Alaska is home to seven species of Pacific salmon: Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, chum salmon, pink salmon, and coho salmon, as well as rainbow trout and cutthroat trout. Names for these species are as diverse as the fish themselves. Chinook salmon are also known as 'king', 'spring', 'Tyee', or 'blackmouth' salmon.
Range and Habitat. Fresh water lakes, streams and estuaries provide important habitat for spawning and rearing sockeye salmon. On the west coast of North America, sockeye salmon range from the Klamath River in Oregon to Point Hope in northwestern Alaska.
Most Alaskan King salmon come from the wild and are caught in the waters surrounding the state, including the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea, and the Aleutian Islands. These fish are highly migratory and spend several years in the ocean before returning to freshwater rivers and streams to spawn.
To reach its final destination in Alaska's Copper River, it has to swim 300 miles between glaciers. It's a tiring journey in which the fish builds up its strength and muscle. The cold waters of the Copper River are challenging for fishers too, who set sail with no guarantee they will catch any fish at all.