Names of salmon. Types of salmon

Salmon fish found throughout most of the planet. You can see what it looks like in the photo. Salmon has always been one of the most expensive and desirable products on our tables. It was considered the “royal” fish. And not just because of the size. Tasty and aromatic meat, which has high nutritional value, has long won the hearts of culinary experts around the world. No matter how this fish is served, each dish will be classified as a delicacy.

Is there salmon fish? The question is quite popular. Sometimes he gathers discussions among large number readers. But the answer is more than simple, and it is easily confirmed by scientific facts and the works of biologists. As such, there is no fish called salmon. This name is collective, combining all fish of the same type, which belong to the salmon family. Sometimes salmon are called trout, which is not a mistake.

The salmon family, which includes salmon, has many species of fish. The most recognizable of them are chum salmon, pink salmon, char, brown trout, coho salmon and others, which according to some criteria fall under general description appearance of salmon fish. They have red meat, which is why they are called “red fish”. Interesting fact suggests that some varieties of salmon fish (for example, Far Eastern whitefish and nelma) may also have white meat. But this is the exception rather than the rule.

Salmon, like many other fish representing the salmon genus, is considered unique. For many it will be a discovery that it cannot be characterized as either river or sea. This is because its habitat is both salty and fresh water. Scientists, noting an interesting feature of salmon, called this group of fish diadromous. This should be understood this way: salmon are born in fresh water and spend their childhood in such conditions. This usually lasts for several months, after which it migrates to salty waters, where it “fats up.” At puberty, the fish (which corresponds to approximately five years from birth) returns to fresh water to spawn. It is noteworthy that salmon meat becomes less tasty during this period of life. This is because it is excessively saturated with fat, which allows the fish to overcome long distances, transforming into energy.

For most individuals, spawning occurs only once in a lifetime, and this is due to physiological characteristics fish. Although poachers also “contribute” to this in pursuit of meat and, strictly speaking, that same caviar. Fishing during the spawning period is not particularly difficult due to clumsiness and excessive carelessness, but it is prohibited by law due to the low population.

In fact, adult individuals live in the seas and oceans (where there is a lot of food, because salmon is a predatory fish), and enter lakes only to procreate. The size of adult salmon places small fatty fish, shrimp and algae in its food chain. Interesting feature The life of salmon and many salmon makes the meat of these fish unique in composition. The taste of salmon is quite high, but its quantity is wildlife limited, therefore, the cost of a carcass of this fish can reach incredible amounts, especially if you know that it can reach a weight of forty kilograms.

It is these facts that force people to breed salmon in artificial reservoirs, where living conditions are as close as possible to wild ones. The rapid growth of fry also encourages reproduction in a nursery, especially if you use “advanced” technologies: hormones that accelerate growth and puberty, and antibiotics that prevent mass death of young fish. The high cost of feeding salmon in a fish factory like this also affects the cost of the fish, although this method is still cheaper than catching fish in natural bodies of water.

Where to buy?

Where to buy salmon? This question can be seen quite often on chat forums. It arises because this fish is not eaten every day here, because it is very expensive. The answer is simple. You can buy salmon and many other types of salmon:

in specialized departments of supermarkets;
in stores specializing in the sale of seafood;
on the coast where fishing is carried out;
in nurseries where fish are bred.

The fish reaches store shelves in the form of portioned pieces. Buying it won’t be difficult, but not every person on the planet can afford to buy a whole fish. Yes, and there is no special meaning in this. You can learn how salmon is cut according to all the rules in production from the video attached to this article.

In most regions, salmon arrives on the shelves exclusively frozen or ready-to-eat, for example, salted. In the latter case, salmon meat is most often packaged in vacuum bags, which help extend the shelf life of the tasty product.

As for cooling, it should be noted that this method is most often carried out by dry deep freezing, which does not violate the integrity of the outer covers and internal fibers. Properly prepared salmon meat does not lose its properties after thawing, but, as with all other protein products, it should only be done once.

IN fresh in Russia and some countries post-Soviet space With access to the sea, you can most often buy Kamchatka salmon, as well as fish caught in the White and Barents Seas. Sometimes the latter is also called Murmansk trout. Besides, live fish can also be purchased in nurseries that are located even inland, in areas where there are no seas or lakes.

How to choose quality salmon?

Choosing quality salmon may seem quite difficult at first glance. This is especially true for those people who rarely purchase gourmet fish. But in practice, the choice of salmon should be approached like the choice of any other fish.

The first thing every consumer needs to find out is how fresh the product is on the shelf. The main criteria that every buyer should evaluate are given in the table below. For convenience, fresh and frozen fish are separated.

		Frozen
Appearance	The skin is shiny and elastic. The scales adhere tightly to the carcass, in places near the head they have a barely reddish tint, while the color of the carcass can range from light pink to soft peach. The gills are red. The eyes are light and shiny.	The skin is dense, light, and easily separated from the pulp. The scales have a slightly dull tint, but adhere well to the carcass. Most often it is not possible to assess the color of the gills and eyes, because this fish is supplied already headless or cut into portions.
	It springs when pressed and easily restores its previous shape. Dry, that is, it does not release juice. Leaves a greasy mark on a paper napkin.	May secrete a little juice mixed with fat. It has a dense texture and does not fall apart when cut into portions.
	Pleasant, without the strong smell of fish oil.	Similar to the smell of all frozen fish, without foreign impurities and old fat.

Any deviation from generally accepted norms for evaluating fish indicates that you should refrain from purchasing salmon. And the point is not only about wasted money, but also about the fact that improperly stored fish loses most of the beneficial substances for which it is considered “royal”.

Composition and nutritional value

The composition, nutritional value and beneficial properties of salmon are determined by the lifestyle of this valuable commercial fish. When cut, salmon meat is red in color, the shade of which can range from light pink to bright red. There is no single standard for color, but either extreme is not indicative of the quality or safety of the fish.

The composition of salmon meat includes the following: useful substances, How:

potassium;
sodium;
phosphorus;
fluorine;
chlorine.

In addition, the meat of the “royal fish” contains vitamins A, B12, E and D (fish oil). The latter is found in large quantities in fish eggs, because it is an important “product” for the development of fry. The nutritional value of salmon differs from all other types of salmon fish primarily due to the composition and amount of fat. The calorie content of salmon is close to one hundred and forty kilocalories per hundred grams of raw product, and the pieces of the carcass from the middle are considered more nutritious than the tail. In terms of how much more nutritious it will be compared to other representatives of salmon, I would like to give as an example the calorie content of raw pink salmon (the fish of the salmon family most often used as a substitute for salmon). According to nutritionists, its nutritional value is also equal to one hundred and forty kilocalories. Like all other products that have undergone heat treatment, boiled or fried fish becomes more caloric, while salty remains the same nutritional value as the raw product. The heaviest salmon is smoked and grilled.

Useful properties of salmon

The beneficial properties of salmon are due to its chemical composition.The benefits of eating this fish are enormous. Regular inclusion of salmon meat in the diet can work wonders, which will manifest itself primarily in beauty and health. skin, luxurious hair, healthy teeth and strong nails. Moderate consumption of salmon in any form helps:

improve general condition body;
strengthen resistance to colds;
normalize vision;
make a beautiful figure;
reduce the risk of strokes;
strengthen the heart muscle;
get rid of insomnia;
improve skin regeneration after burns and operations.

Regarding whether children, nursing mothers and pregnant women should eat salmon, the following must be said: these categories of people need to eat salmon in small quantities. A portion of salmon meat for children over one year old should not exceed one hundred grams per day, while adults can eat up to half a kilogram of fish per week. Children should eat fish no more than once every ten days, always alternating with other types of fish and meat of birds and animals, so as not to cause an excess of nutrients.

Using fish in cooking

A special feature of using this fish in cooking is the speed of its preparation. Facts have been noted, but they are rather an exception to the rule that salmon can be eaten raw. Most often, this statement refers to the indigenous peoples inhabiting the northern part of Russia. In the rest of the world, the main cooking methods applied to salmon meat are:

dry salting or in brine;
steaming or boiling in water;
smoking and drying;
baking in the oven, in a slow cooker or on the grill;
frying in a dry frying pan or with the addition small quantity oils

Many people like the fact that it is difficult to over-salt salmon, and even if you miscalculate the amount of salt, the fish will still turn out lightly salted. This becomes possible due to the high fat content of the meat. In addition to the meat of this fish, ridges can also be found on sale. It is not advisable to salt them. The best method The use of skeletons in cooking can be called cooking broths that will be clear and rich. It is noteworthy that they do not need to be cooked for long: five minutes over low heat will be enough to obtain a tasty broth and tender meat.

It is salmon that is most often served in restaurants as a signature dish, and many of them practice preparing delicacies right in front of the customer. Most often it is grilled or fried fish.

In general, the following is prepared from salmon:

soups;
jellied meat or aspic;
salads;
casseroles on a baking sheet and in foil;
cutlets and meatballs;
fish oil;
kebabs and barbecue dishes;
pates and shavings.

But most often this fish is used for making sandwiches and filling pies, tartlets, pita bread, rolls, rolls, sushi or other cold snacks belonging to cuisines different nations peace.

Salmon is served with simple side dishes, often in the manner of Japanese dishes, that is, with boiled rice or vegetables. It would be wrong to combine the meat of this fish with buckwheat and other cereals, potatoes or pasta that are familiar to many. Although the latter combination can often be seen and tasted in Italian restaurants, where pasta and its varieties are considered the “number one dish”.

Salmon goes well with:

cheese;
butter;
parsley;
rice;
mustard;
wine;
cream and sour cream;
cottage cheese;
chicken and quail eggs;
olives;
carrots;
soy sauce;
prunes;
lemon, orange and other citrus fruits;
dried apricots;
nuts;
vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, For example);
onions;
mushrooms.

Salmon, like most red fish, does not need spices, because the latter can not only drown out the delicate aroma of the fish itself, but also change the taste of the dish prepared from it. The only exception may be sesame seeds, which not only decorate ready meals, giving them completeness and an expensive look, but also help hide the dryness of the finished fish.

The most common dressings for salted and heat-treated salmon are cream sauce and melted butter. Despite this, amateur cooks, using salmon to prepare multi-component and sometimes the most unpredictable salads and other dishes, use mayonnaise. This is not to say that these “masterpieces” will not be tasty, but it is unlikely that the true qualities of the “royal” fish will be noticed and appreciated in such company.

Considering the high cost of salmon meat, many chefs use fish that is cheaper, but similar in taste. In the vastness of online publications on culinary topics, you can easily find about fifty recipes of various compositions, which tell you how to cook (usually salt) any other fish “like salmon” at home so that it is difficult to distinguish it from the expensive original, as well as many secrets that tell you how to replace salmon in recipes without losing taste qualities dishes. It is noteworthy that most often fish salted instead of salmon does not differ in taste from the real product, but in all other dishes it is a bit dry.

Use in cosmetology

The use of salmon in cosmetology is not limited to its use in the form of meat masks, as many might think. Rich vitamin composition This fish, as well as caviar, makes it possible to produce natural cosmetics in industrial conditions. These skin care products are not inferior to Korean mineral cosmetics, and in many ways are even ahead of them. Such tools are capable of:

regenerate skin;
saturate the skin with nutrients;
restore elasticity;
smooth out wrinkles;
give a healthy color.

The cost of creams and masks based on salmon products, including ridges, is quite high. Although if we compare it with foreign natural remedies, we can say that it compares favorably. In addition, eating salmon has proven to have a beneficial effect on work digestive tract. Thanks to this, hair, nails and skin become healthy.

Harm and contraindications

A fish such as salmon, in addition to its benefits, can also cause harm to the human body. The risk group includes not only those consumers who have contraindications for use, but also those who do not comply with certain rules.

Those who:

has an individual intolerance to fish and seafood;
has hypertension;
suffers from pancreatic dysfunction;
has liver disease, including hepatitis;
suffers from kidney disease.

Salmon should also be eaten with caution by mothers breastfeeding infants under three months of age, because it is immature digestive system The baby may react to this product by developing a fulminant allergic reaction, including Quincke's edema.

Another fact that speaks not in favor of eating salmon can be considered the latest research by scientists. They indicate that fish such as salmon lately has become more dangerous by many criteria than even a century ago. The reason for this was the general pollution of water and atmosphere, as well as the use of growth stimulants, antibiotics, hormonal drugs and feed with bioadditives, which happens in nurseries where this valuable breed of fish is bred.

According to microbiologists and ecologists, of all salmon fish, it is salmon that is most susceptible to the accumulation of heavy metal salts. Some studied indicators, for example, the level of meat contamination with mercury, which can cause muscle collapse in the human body and disruption of its basic functions, reached a critical value in many studied specimens. This applies to a greater extent to wild salmon, and especially to those that have reached an age of over five years and are of impressive size.

Whether or not to consume salmon in the diet is something each person must decide for themselves. Although the quantity of king fish that the average consumer can afford to purchase, as well as the frequency of consumption of this product in the diet, is unlikely to cause significant damage to health.

Salmon fish, also known as red fish, are special kind, a special caste of fish. There are carp fish, there are perch, pike, catfish, cod, sturgeon and many others. Of course, each type of fish, each family, is famous in its own way, but it is salmon and its family that rightfully occupy special place among aquatic inhabitants. This is a special, royal status! In this material I will list and briefly describe the most popular fish from the salmon family.

Salmon and Trout- collective names, which often mean different types fish of this family.

Salmon fish can be sedentary, permanently living in rivers, or anadromous, permanently living in the sea and going to rivers to spawn. Salmon are common in the middle and northern latitudes Oh northern hemisphere, in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean(Noble Atlantic and Pacific Far Eastern salmon).

Salmon are valuable as food fish for catching and artificial breeding. The red fish itself is valuable, as is the red caviar.

Salmon are very strong fish. When going to spawn, salmon overcome rapids and even small waterfalls. So, even when caught with amateur gear, the resistance is fabulous.

The salmon family is divided into subfamilies: Salmonidae; Whitefish; Graylings.

Trout– a common, collective name for more than two dozen salmon fish. For example, this: ; lake trout (aka brown trout); marbled trout; Caucasian trout; Dolly Varden; mykizha; Clark's salmon and many others. The difficulty of classifying trout and salmon fish in general lies in the fact that sedentary forms easily adapt to life in the sea and become migratory, and vice versa.

Salmon– also called Atlantic salmon (anadromous) or Lake salmon (residential). Lives in Atlantic Ocean, enters the rivers flowing into it. The lake form lives in lakes in northwestern Russia and in the Scandinavian countries.

Taimen- the largest species of salmon fish. - This is primarily a sedentary form of salmon, living in rivers and lakes from the Urals to Far East. There is also a passing one, Sakhalin taimen Taimen is a very coveted trophy for a spinner! Particularly enthusiastic taimen fishermen navigate the most difficult routes along the wild taiga rivers of Siberia, fly in helicopters, and overcome forest debris in order to catch large taimen.

Pink salmon- one of the anadromous Pacific salmon. Pink salmon are not large compared to other Pacific salmon, but they are the most numerous. During the spawning period, when entering the river, the male pink salmon grows a characteristic beak to drive away other fish from the spawning nest, as well as a hump (apparently, for greater menacingness). Hence the name.

– a common sedentary species of salmon. Inhabits rivers and lakes from the Urals to the Far East. Relatively small salmon, they do not grow more than 6 kg.

– one of the most common salmon species, with the largest distribution area. Enters the rivers of the Northern basin Arctic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, both within Asia and North America.

– a species very close to Chum salmon. Sockeye salmon can be unmistakably recognized by the very bright red color of its meat.

Coho salmon– quite large Pacific salmon (up to 1 m in length and 15 kg in weight). It is distinguished by its silvery scales. More common along the American Pacific coast than off the coast of Asia.

Chinook- the largest species of anadromous Pacific salmon. enters the rivers of the Far East, Kamchatka, Sakhalin. Also common along the entire Pacific coast of North America. There they call it King Salmon.

Char– also salmon with many shapes. Sedentary lake and lake-river species are medium-sized – up to 1.5 kg. The migratory char is large, up to a pound. Some types of loaches are listed in the Red Book.

Sima or cherry salmon. The most southern, heat-loving form. Distinctive feature from other salmon - a large number of large spots. At sea, the salmon has a silvery color, but when going to spawn it becomes darker, the spots clearly appear, and the color becomes completely variegated. A passing Sim grows up to 6 kg in weight. Sedentary forms are formed. Some male sims do not roll into the sea and live permanently in rivers. In appearance, these are small fish up to 20 cm long, always having a mating color. This is exactly the kind of sim I had when I was visiting Primorye.

Whitefish- an extensive subfamily in the salmon family. Includes species such as Vendace, Omul, and numerous varieties of Whitefish. Whitefish distribution range: Europe, North America, Siberia, Ural. Many of the whitefish are listed in the Red Book.

Omul– fish of the salmon family, whitefish subfamily. The fish is migratory. Lives in coastal areas of the Arctic Ocean. It comes to spawn in the rivers of Siberia, Alaska, and Canada. The sedentary form, Baikal omul, is a famous dried snack for beer when vacationing on Lake Baikal, or passing by these places.

- not very similar in appearance to salmon, rather closer to whitefish, but separated into a separate subfamily. Grayling is easily recognized by its huge dorsal fin, like a sail. There are many subspecies of grayling: West Siberian, East Siberian, Baikal, Amur, Kamchatka, European, Alaskan. very interesting.

Catching a large specimen is the longed-for dream of many spinning and fly fishermen.

Red fish, which is conventionally called “salmon,” is considered a genuine delicacy that does not often appear on the tables of ordinary people. There are a huge number of representatives of the salmon family, many of them are distinguished by their amazing taste and beneficial health properties. Such fish include the familiar salmon, trout, sockeye salmon, as well as many others, the appearance and characteristics of which will be discussed in the article.

General description and features

According to science, salmon are representatives of the order Salmonidae, class of ray-finned fish.

This family can be divided into three subfamilies:

salmonids themselves (7 species);
whitefish (3 species);
grayling (1 species).

The first subfamily is, for the most part, predators (some representatives have a mixed diet), characterized by large or medium size, small scales and high commercial value. These are trout, chum salmon, sockeye salmon, pink salmon, and salmon.

Whitefish are smaller in size and covered with larger scales; These include whitefish, omul, Valaamka, peled, broad whitefish and some others. Finally, graylings are inhabitants of fresh water bodies; their distinctive feature is their powerful dorsal fins.

Titles and brief description

Let's take a closer look at the list of fish from the salmon family. Let's make a reservation that the fish “salmon” does not exist, this word hides the collective name of several species, therefore salmon or coho salmon are salmon.

In addition, these include two types of valuable fish:

Pacific (these are coho salmon, chum salmon, sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon; they spawn once in a lifetime, after which the fish die);
noble or real (this is salmon and various types trout).

The body structure of salmon resembles herrings, which is why for a long time they were considered relatives, but as a result of detailed research they were separated into an independent family.

The distinctive features are:

The body is elongated, laterally compressed.
Most species have a horizontal line running along their body. There are also stains called nakrapa.
There are two fins on the back: one with a large number rays, the other - fatty (radiationless).
Clear eyelids help protect your eyes.
Powerful jaw with many teeth.

Each species of salmon also has its own characteristic features.

Habitat

Representatives of the salmon family are found in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, as well as in northern seas. Thus, a rich spawning ground was discovered in Kamchatka. Most of the species (with the exception of grayling) live in the seas, but go to spawn in fresh rivers, and therefore bears the name freshwater (anadromous).

Large quantities are found in rivers and lakes of Siberia and the Far East and other northern latitudes:

taimen (Baikal, Yenisei, Amur, Lena, also found in Yakutia);
grayling (Lake Baikal, Lena, Ob, Yenisei, Amur).

Certain types of salmon (salmon, trout) are bred on special fish farms, especially in Norway.

Peculiarities

The diet of salmon fish species is varied. Most often, adult individuals feed on small fish, crustaceans, worms, mollusks, squids, and sometimes eat jellyfish. Young animals eat larvae of aquatic insects, as well as fry.

Natural enemies of young salmon are numerous:

pike;
burbot;
grayling;
brown trout;
fish-eating birds (gulls).

Adults can also become prey to predators, such as sea hare.

The lifestyle is migratory: most of the species live in the seas, and go to fresh water bodies to spawn, most often this happens after reaching the age of 5 years. The lifespan of most members of the family is about 10 years.

Spawning

For residents of northern latitudes, breeding time comes in mid-September or October, when the water temperature is 0-8°C. And salmon from southern waters begin spawning from October to January, at a temperature of 3-10°C. Females lay eggs in previously prepared depressions in the ground; the masonry is sprinkled with a mixture of sand and pebbles.

After reproduction, fish quickly lose weight, and a very large number of them die. Survivors return to the seas, but sometimes may remain in fresh water until the weather warms. In the spring, young individuals hatch from the eggs and spend 1-5 years in the river, after which they move to rivers or lakes, where they begin to actively feed and gain weight.

Economic importance

Species of commercial importance include Far Eastern salmon, char, pink salmon, chum salmon, and salmon - their meat is tasty, nutritious and very healthy. In addition, salmon caviar is highly prized and is considered a true delicacy. In economics coastal regions fisheries play a vital role.

Due to thoughtless fishing, the salmon population declined sharply in the middle of the last century. Therefore, now the issue is strictly regulated: restrictions on the catch of marine representatives have been established.

Freshwater salmon, which are objects of amateur and sport hunting, can be caught. In relation to them, the restrictions are more relaxed, so various graylings and whitefish are desirable prey in the rivers of Siberia.

List of fish and description

There are a huge number of salmon fish, they inhabit both salt and fresh water bodies. Get to know the most interesting species.

Salmon

This valuable fish, found in the northern seas, fishermen often call it “noble salmon.” Body length can reach 1.5 meters, weight - up to 45 kg. The body is compressed, covered with small silvery scales, which are very easy to clean off during cooking.

It is born in fresh water. Then it moves to salty bodies of water. In the Russian Federation it is found in rivers and lakes Kola Peninsula, White and Baltic seas, Ladoga, Onega lakes.

Salmon uses small fish, crustaceans, and larvae as food. During the spawning period, it eats practically nothing, and characteristic bright orange or red spots appear on the body. Life expectancy is 13-15 years.

Coho salmon

This is a fairly large representative of the salmon family, reaching up to a meter in length and weighing up to 15 kg.

Distinctive features of the fish:

big head;
wide forehead;
silvery scales, which is why coho salmon are nicknamed “silver salmon.”

Lives in the Pacific Ocean, also found off the coast of Kamchatka, in the Sea of Okhotsk, off the coast of Sakhalin and in US waters (states from Alaska to California).

It begins to spawn at the age of 3-4 years, for this it leaves lakes and seas and goes to rivers. Like other salmon, coho salmon acquire a bright red color during the breeding season, and die after spawning.

Chinook

Another representative is the Chinook salmon, which lives in the basins of the Amur and Anadyr rivers, as well as in the Pacific Ocean, on the coasts of the Kuril Islands, Kamchatka, Japanese Islands. The weight of the fish is from 15 kg, but sometimes it was possible to catch real giants - up to 30 kg, the body length is about a meter, although figures of just over 2 meters have been recorded.

It is born in a fresh water body, where it lives until it reaches 2 years of age, after which it goes to the sea, where it actively feeds for 5 years. Then it returns to fresh waters, most often small rivers, to reproduce. It feeds on larvae, insects, small fish and crustaceans, and in the seas it often eats plankton, krill and cephalopods. It has valuable meat rich in selenium, fluorine, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and fatty acids.

Red salmon

This representative of the Pacific salmon can reach up to 80 cm in length and weight up to 4 kg. It is found off the coast of Sakhalin, Kamchatka, Alaska, as well as in the Sea of Okhotsk. Sockeye salmon feed on calanid crustaceans, and due to the pigment they contain, the fish meat is colored in a rich red hue. It begins to reproduce in the places where the fish itself was born. After spawning it dies.

Sockeye salmon meat is considered a dietary product; it can be salted, smoked, and baked. Balyk is especially loved by gourmets.

Trout

It has deep red meat and is valued for its low calorie content. It can live in both fresh and salt water, depending on the species.

The color of trout directly depends on the environmental conditions in which it is located:

if the reservoir is calcareous, then the fish is light, almost white, with a copper sheen;
in peat lakes the color is darker.

Trout that feeds well is almost monochromatic, but if the diet is poor, then its body is covered with spots.

It is customary to distinguish three types of trout:

rainbow;
lake;
brook

It uses plankton, insects and their larvae, and small fish as food. Lives in small flocks and is known for its caution.

Pink salmon

It does not differ in impressive dimensions, the maximum can be 70 cm, average weight- about 2 kg. Most often, pink salmon are found in the waters of the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic, but for breeding they enter Siberian rivers. Another name for the fish is pink salmon; it has stuck because of the specific color of the tender and tasty meat.

Pink salmon looks very beautiful:

blue-green or bluish back;
silver sides;
white belly.

During the spawning period, the color of pink salmon scales changes to pale gray. Life expectancy is up to 3 years, after reproduction it dies.

Chum salmon

This is a migratory fish caught in industrial scale on the territory of the Far East. It is distinguished by a conical head with small eyes and a compressed elongated body. Very similar to pink salmon, but has larger scales. Approaching spawning, chum salmon acquires a black color. In this form it is called catfish; it is not suitable for human food, but can be used to feed dogs.

It is customary to distinguish two types of chum salmon:

summer, average length which - no more than 80 cm;
autumn, it can be up to a meter in length.

It fattens in the seas for up to 2-3 years, after which it gathers in large schools and moves to rivers for spawning.

Whitefish

Found in clean, oxygenated waters, it rarely sinks to the bottom or rises to the surface, preferring to stay in the water column. Weight up to 6 kg, average body length - 60-80 cm.

The color of the whitefish is silver, the fins are dark. It belongs to schooling fish; it begins to spawn in November, for this it moves to shallows overgrown with coastal plants. Distinctive feature whitefish - white meat.

Other types

There are a lot of salmon fish. These include the following:

Brown trout. This is an anadromous fish that is found in the Baltic, Black, and White Seas. Body length is up to 45 cm, weight is about 3.5 kg, but there are also more impressive individuals - 6-7 kg.
Neima. A representative of the whitefish subfamily, preferring cold fresh waters. Length about 1.2 meters, weight - 30 kg. Prized for its delicious dietary meat.
Lenok. It is similar in appearance to whitefish, but has a darker color. It is mined on an industrial scale in the Far East.
Grayling. to his appearance this inhabitant of the seas is not at all like other salmon; it has a large dorsal, decorated with spots, the scales are large, and thanks to the different shades it looks very beautiful and elegant. The pectoral and ventral fins of grayling are yellow, the tail is crimson.

These are the main representatives of fish of the salmon family.

Useful properties

The commercial importance of salmon is primarily due to the high nutritional value these fish, whose meat is rich in vitamins and macro- and microelements (phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron), as well as necessary for a person fatty acids. Moreover, it is non-caloric, so it can be included in the system dietary nutrition, helps strengthen the immune system, increases brain performance, and is a powerful prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Salmon

This fish should definitely be included in the diet of everyone who cares about their health.

It is very useful:

Due to the presence of melatonin, it helps naturally rejuvenate the body.
Stimulates the functioning of the central nervous system.
Reduces the content of harmful cholesterol.
Has a beneficial effect on brain productivity.

It is important to remember that the most valuable fish is the one caught in natural conditions, and not the one grown artificially.

Pink salmon

In addition to the above useful properties inherent to salmon in general, pink salmon helps cleanse the body of waste and toxins, fights bone diseases and is considered a means of preventing osteoporosis. It is rich in amino acids, so after a meal you can forget about the feeling of hunger for a long time.

Contraindications

Despite the usefulness of salmon, there are certain categories of people for whom eating fish is contraindicated:

those suffering from an allergic reaction to fish products;
for gastrointestinal problems (especially stomach ulcers, pancreatitis);
for pathologies of the kidneys, liver, and urinary system;
with individual intolerance to phosphorus and iodine.

We also note that fish should not be overused; it will only bring benefits to the body in moderation.

Nursing mothers are advised to avoid red fish until the baby is six months old, as the product may cause severe allergic reaction. Before introducing salmon into complementary foods, you must obtain the approval of a medical professional.

Use in cooking

Salmon meat is considered a valuable and tasty product; it is most often consumed after heat treatment, however, certain breeds of fish allow salting and drying. The meat has a beautiful red-pink hue, and the presence of beneficial fatty acids is greater in those species that lived in cold waters.

The best side dishes are potatoes, boiled rice, and vegetables. Sweet and sour sauces perfectly highlight the taste.

Fresh fish should be scaled, gutted, washed, and then dried with a towel. Frozen food should be left in cold salted water to defrost.

Suitable seasonings for salmon are:

dill (fresh, frozen);
thyme;
basil;
pink pepper

Frying

Simple but very delicious recipe cooking red fish in a frying pan.

Procedure:

Cut the carcass into pieces, salt and season. You can roll it in flour.
Fry in a preheated frying pan for 5 minutes on each side.

Serve with potatoes and vegetables.

Baking in foil

Procedure:

Prepare the carcass (clean, rinse, salt, season).
Place foil on a baking sheet.
Place a layer of onion sliced into rings.
Place the fish.
Cover with foil.
Place in the oven. Temperature 210°, cooking time - 20 minutes.
Open the foil, this will help get a crispy crust, then bake for another 5 minutes.

Delicious and healthy dish ready.

Pickling

Both fresh and frozen fish are suitable for this option.

Procedure:

Prepare the carcass, cut it into pieces of the required size.
Rub the fish with a mixture of salt and sugar.
Place the fillet in a glass container under pressure.
Place in the refrigerator, in the freshness zone, for a day. After this, the product is ready for use.

For 1 kg of fish you will need 3 tbsp. salt and 2 tbsp. Sahara.

Video

The following video shows a simple recipe for making red fish soup:

You will find an original and delicious recipe for a spicy breakfast with red fish in this video.

This video will help you properly clean any salmon and prepare it for further processing.

Whitefish (lat. Stenodus leucichthys) - belongs to the group of whitefish, from the salmon family (Salmonidae). Nelma, which is found in the Northern Dvina, Pechora, Ob and other northern rivers, is perhaps a type of white fish. One of the largest whitefish, reaching 100-120 cm in length and up to 15 kg of weight or more. Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed, the male […]

Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) is distinguished by its small scales. In the sea, its body is painted silver, and there are many small dark spots on the caudal fin. In the river the color changes: dark spots cover the back, sides and head, by the time of spawning the head and fins become almost black, and the whole body acquires brown except for the belly, which remains white. The proportions change especially strongly [...]

Chum salmon (lat. Oncorhynchus keta) One of the most widespread representatives of Pacific salmon. In Primorye it is found everywhere from the Tumannaya River to the north-eastern coast, into the rivers of which (Edinka, Kabanya and others) in recent years chum salmon, after a long break, regularly enters to breed. The general range covers the entire northern Pacific Ocean. At sea, before entering the rivers, it has a silvery […]

Coho salmon (lat. Oncorhynchus kisutch) - big fish, reaches a length of 98 cm, weight 14 kg. Coho salmon is well distinguished from other salmon by its bright silver color of scales (hence the Japanese and American name - “silver salmon” and our old one - “ white fish"). Belongs to the salmon family, a genus of Far Eastern salmon. Along the Asian coast it lives from the Anadyr River along the Kamchatka [...]

Kilets (C. albula infraspecies kiletz Michailovsky). A very rare deep-sea lake fish that lives in Russia only in Lake Onega. In summer, the keelets stays at a depth where the water temperature does not exceed +7°. The weight of an adult specimen can reach 1 kg. In Lake Onega, kilets are found only in the southern, wide part, mainly near the western shore; in the northern lips [...]

Lenok (lat. Brachymystax lenok) - freshwater fish salmon family. The genus contains only one species, but there are two distinct forms - sharp-snouted and blunt-snouted. Distributed in rivers and mountain lakes Siberia and the Far East, China, Mongolia and also in Western Korea, west of the Urals is not found. Prefers fast, cold rivers, mainly their upper reaches. Keeps in small flocks, [...]

Muksun (Coregonus muksun) has from 44 to 72 stamens. This is a semi-anadromous whitefish feeding in desalinated coastal waters The Arctic Ocean, from where it goes to spawn in the Kara, Ob, Yenisei, Lena and Kolyma, without, however, rising high. Muksun in the sea feeds on amphipods, mysids and sea cockroaches. Occasionally it reaches more than 13 kg of weight, its usual weight is 1-2 kg. […]

Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) is a fish of the salmon family. Representatives of this species reach 80 cm in length and weigh up to 3 kg. Sockeye salmon resembles chum salmon in size and body shape; the easiest way to distinguish these species is by the number of gill rakers on the first gill arch: chum salmon have from 18 to 28, and sockeye salmon always have more than 30. Sexually mature […]

Who among us doesn't like red fish? One caviar is worth it! But, unfortunately, most people know little about salmon themselves, their lifestyle and what species salmon actually are. As an ichthyologist, I have encountered a lot various representatives salmon family both theoretically and “live”, and therefore I consider it my duty to clarify this question. From this article you will learn what kind of fish salmon is, what types of salmon there are and how they differ.

Is there salmon fish?

Quite often people are interested in what kind of fish salmon is. Let's immediately define that salmon is any fish from two genera of the salmon family ( Salmonidae) - a genus of Pacific salmon ( Oncorhynchus) and the genus of noble salmon ( Salmo). Sometimes the word "salmon" is directly included in the trivial names of some of these fish species, for example, steelhead salmon - mykiss ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) or Atlantic salmon (aka noble salmon) - better known as salmon ( Salmosalar). Perhaps it is salmon that is most often called simply salmon, meaning a specific species.

Salmon comes in different varieties

The word “salmon” itself comes from the Indo-European word lax and means “spotted”, “speckled”. In Russian, the word "salmon" until the 16th century was feminine, now - male. The name of the salmon family is Salmonidae– comes from the Latin root salio – to jump and is associated with spawning behavior (details below in the section Reproduction and migration of salmon).

Types of salmon

There are so many types of them! And that's not all.

In addition to the two genera of salmon, the salmon family also includes taimen, lenok, grayling, char, whitefish and palia. But, I repeat, here we are talking only about salmon - Pacific ( Oncorhynchus) and noble ( Salmo). Below I will give brief description and the main differences between these genera.

Pacific salmon ( Oncorhynchus). This group includes pink salmon, chum salmon, coho salmon, masu salmon, sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon and several American salmon that live in our waters. Representatives of this genus spawn once in their lives and die immediately after spawning.

Sockeye salmon is the most prominent representative of Far Eastern salmon

Noble, or real salmon ( Salmo), unlike their Pacific counterparts, after spawning, as a rule, they do not die and can reproduce several times during their lives. This group of salmon includes the well-known salmon and many species of trout.

Salmon - large noble salmon

Reproduction and migration of salmon

All salmon spawn in fresh water. After hatching, the fry grow up and either remain in the same reservoir where they were born (in residential forms of salmon), or slide into the sea (anadromous forms), where, fattening up, they become adult fish. Having reached sexual maturity, such salmon return to the river, where they spawn. Most salmon try to return to the same river where they were born, and some (for example, sockeye salmon) even to the same spawning ground. This behavior is called “homing” (“homing”, from home - house).

Salmon spawning is a massive phenomenon, but short-term

Salmon nutrition

Juveniles and residential (freshwater) forms feed on insects, eggs and fish fry. During the feeding period at sea, adult salmon feed on schooling species of smaller fish and invertebrates.

Salmon fishing and farming

All salmon are valuable commercial fish. Migratory salmon are caught at sea, since when moving from salty sea water to fresh water, their meat loses some of its taste. As an amateur object, salmon is, in my opinion, the most interesting fish.

Thanks to the tradition of salmon returning to their native river (hominga) to spawn, salmon are bred in fish factories. A fish factory is usually built on a river. Fish going to spawn are caught, eggs are taken and fertilized. The fry obtained after incubation of eggs are grown and released back into the river. The fry slide into the sea, feed themselves, and after a year or several years return to their native river. Thanks to this approach, the survival rate of juvenile salmon increases significantly.

Salmon larvae

Residential (freshwater) forms of salmon, such as trout, are raised in hatcheries from the time the eggs are fertilized until the adult fish are ready for sale.

Actually, that's all. Now you know who salmon are and what they are like. In conclusion, I bring to your attention a short educational video about the life of salmon.