Atlantic Salmon
Coldwaterus mildyummus
3
kilograms

average weight

Lives in both fresh and salt water

6

types in Canada

3
years

sustainable age

History

It’s not easy being popular. Salmon tops the list for most seafood lovers, but it's not just fishing pressures that have put their populations in danger. A combination of overfishing, habitat destruction and dams that block their spawning routes has placed Atlantic Salmon squarely on the endangered list. But where people have caused the problem, they’re also finding solutions. Replacing old dams with ones designed to usher salmon upstream is a start. We're also farming the fish, so Canadians can keep enjoying this delicious source of nutrition while wild populations recover.

Best sustainable option

Atlantic salmon farmed in recirculating aquaculture systems.

In Season

janfebmaraprmayjunjulaugsepoctnovdec

Landed

24,068 tonnes

produced in Canada in 2014.

Did you know?

Atlantic salmon aquaculture first started in Canada in the 1980s.

Taste/Texture

Mild flavor.

What to look for

Generally, with salmon, bright skin colour indicates better meat quality. Filets should be moist with no dry or brown spots. The meat should be vibrant in colour. Atlantic salmon will have orange flesh.

Watch a video on Atlantic Salmon

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How to cook

Pan fried Atlantic salmon with mascarpone sauce

Melt-in-your-mouth salmon only gets better with sauce. Fresh fillets are pan-fried with herbs and garlic, then smothered in a rich and creamy mascarpone sauce in this decadent dish.

General cooking tips

Salmon can be cooked in a variety of ways, though its high oil content makes it great for smoking. Salmon can also be baked, grilled, or broiled.

More recipes ▸

Meet Chef Spencer Watts

Chef Spencer Watts says cooking is the great love of his life. His father and grandfather were both cod fishermen, so a love of fishing and being on the water runs in his blood. Growing up on the lower mainland of British Columbia, Spencer was inspired by the vast array of fresh local ingredients available.

Spencer is a graduate of the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts. He quickly progressed through the ranks at The Westin Grand and C restaurant, while training with some of the best local talent in the culinary scene. In 2007 he opened his very own restaurant, ‘Spence on the Coast,’ in Sechelt. Later he started his own local cable cooking show called “Coast Cooking with Spence.”

Spencer is presently enjoying life in Vancouver while working on his cookbook and promoting sustainable seafood.

History

It’s not easy being popular. Salmon tops the list for most seafood lovers, but it's not just fishing pressures that have put their populations in danger. A combination of overfishing, habitat destruction and dams that block their spawning routes has placed Atlantic Salmon squarely on the endangered list. But where people have caused the problem, they’re also finding solutions. Replacing old dams with ones designed to usher salmon upstream is a start. We're also farming the fish, so Canadians can keep enjoying this delicious source of nutrition while wild populations recover.

Best sustainable option

Atlantic salmon farmed in recirculating aquaculture systems.

In Season

janfebmaraprmayjunjulaugsepoctnovdec

Landed

24,068 tonnes

produced in Canada in 2014.

Did you know?

Atlantic salmon aquaculture first started in Canada in the 1980s.

Taste/Texture

Mild flavor.

What to look for

Generally, with salmon, bright skin colour indicates better meat quality. Filets should be moist with no dry or brown spots. The meat should be vibrant in colour. Atlantic salmon will have orange flesh.