Renowned California King Salmon Season To Begin May 1

“Based on a number of factors, we are forecasting about 175,000 Chinook salmon will be caught during the upcoming 2014 California King salmon commercial season,” said Bill Dawson of San Francisco’s Seafood Suppliers and vice chairman of the California Salmon Council. He added, “Chefs, foodies and backyard grillers love these California Kings which are considered to be among the best tasting of the salmon family. Folks can’t wait for California King Salmon to begin arriving at their local stores and fish markets.”

From May through September, the chilly ocean waters off California’s coast will yield the King, also known as the Chinook salmon, where it swims freely and is considered the most delectable salmon in the world. California is the leading state for producing wild King salmon that are caught on barbless hooks. This “hook to fork” approach to fishing fits nicely with California’s burgeoning “farm to fork” food movement that is sweeping the country.

“Consumers should ask their grocer or fish monger for California King salmon because these salmon are regarded as the most prized as well as the largest,” said David Goldenberg, chief executive officer of the California Salmon Council. He added, “Wild California Kings are fresher because they are caught locally off California’s coastline and have higher levels of the naturally-occurring Omega-3 fatty acids which offer heart-protective attributes.”

California has been catching King salmon since the early 1850s when 100-pound Kings were caught regularly from the Sacramento River to feed hungry gold miners. The King salmon spawn in the Sacramento River and its tributaries and make up 90 percent of the salmon caught in California. The big fish pass through San Francisco Bay and roam the Pacific Ocean as far away as Alaska before returning three years later to spawn where they were born in the Sacramento River and its tributaries.

California’s King Salmon fishermen catch each fish with a barbless hook tied to an individual fishing line. This hook-and-line method of catching one fish on one hook ensures a quality catch with lean, firm texture and more robust flavor than other salmon. This provides a sustainable, responsible choice that helps maintain the fishery.

For more information about California King Salmon including cooking tips, visit: www.calkingsalmon.org.