Salmon, Sardines and Sablefish

Go wild and savour the delicious tradition of wild salmon from British Columbia!  Wild BC salmon not only plays a significant traditional and economic role in the lives of British Columbians, it has also defined Canadian cuisine. With five species each offering its own unique flavour, it pleases many palates and is a first choice favourite among salmon lovers around the world.

The Product
The natural life cycle and migration patterns of the wild BC salmon create five distinct salmon species which all share an outward resemblance, but a marked distinction in flavour and flesh colour.

Chinook, also known as spring salmon, is the largest species with richly flavoured, firm flesh ranging from ivory white to deep red.

Chum salmon offers a milder, more delicate flavour with a creamy pink to medium red flesh colour.

Coho’s versatile full flavour is coupled with fine-textured, consistently red flesh.

Sockeye is very popular for its rich flavour and deep-red, firm flesh.

Pink salmon is the smallest species that is delicately flavoured and lighter in colour.

Product Forms
Fresh and frozen wild BC salmon is available in a variety of cuts: dressed (gills and entrails removed), pan-dressed (head, tail, fins and scales removed), steaks, fillets, pieces or chunks.  Wild BC sockeye and pink salmon are commonly available as canned salmon.  Sockeye, chinook and chum salmon are popular as smoked product.  Other available product forms include hot smoked products, roe and a wide variety of value-added products.

The Harvest
There are primarily three methods used to harvest wild BC salmon: trolling, gillnetting and seining.  Many vessels are equipped to produce premium FAS (frozen-at-sea) wild BC salmon guaranteeing that fresh-caught flavour year round while preserving the fish's firm texture and rich colour.  The salmon is then processed into various product forms under strict grading and handling guidelines in registered plants and sent to market.

Discover wild sablefish from Canada’s Pacific coast!  As a unique seafood product that is full of flavour and provides endless opportunities for creative dishes, it is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after premium seafood products from Canada.

The Product
Wild Canadian sablefish has a rich sweet flavour with large sleek white flakes. Its unique taste and texture have made it a favorite among the world’s top chefs who value its high oil content and creative versatility. Smoked fish connoisseurs should also not miss the opportunity to try smoked sablefish’s deep nutty flavor, which has become widely sought after in major culinary centres around the globe. And wild Canadian sablefish is not only delicious, it is a naturally healthy choice that is high in protein and Omega-3 fatty acids, and low in carbohydrates

Product Forms
Wild Canadian sablefish is conveniently available year round as frozen-at-sea (FAS) product.  While fillets are available un-smoked and smoked, steaks are only available un-smoked. Smoked sablefish (normally cold-smoked requiring additional cooking) is provided as sides and portions. Smoked and un-smoked collars are also available.

Harvest
Canadian sablefish fishermen have a long established and well earned reputation of providing top quality product that is sustainably harvested from the cool deep waters of the north Pacific. In Canada, sablefish is harvested offshore, where the catch is cleaned and frozen on board within minutes of being caught thereby maintaining its premium quality. Wild Canadian sablefish are harvested live in traps and by long line vessels, methods proven to be the best in preserving quality and maintaining a sustainable resource for current and future generations.

Experience the delicious tradition of wild BC sardines!  Plus discover its amazing natural cycle that can be traced back 2,000 years explaining why after an absence of almost 50 years, sardines re-appeared on the BC coast in 1992.  Today the BC sardine fishery is a new and developing fishery with many opportunities inspiring culinary creations both at home and in export markets. 

The Product
The wild BC sardine, with its iridescent, silvery body, is a member of the herring family.  The flesh of the sardine is pink and has a fine texture.  Its high fat content provides a fuller flavour than most white fish species offering great versatility in creating delectable seafood dishes.  Not only are sardines recognized as a delicious ingredient in many cultural dishes, they are recognized as a highly nutritious food choice.

Product Forms
The wild BC sardine is available as fresh or frozen whole, round fish. It is also available as butterfly fillets (skin-on and bone-in) or boneless fillets.  Limited quantities of salted and smoked sardine are also available.

The Harvest
The sardine fishery is relatively new in British Columbia. Sardines are harvested as they migrate through the cool coastal waters of BC by licensed vessels using the purse seine method.  Once harvested, they are chilled on-board with cooled sea water and held at -0.5 to 0°C (31 to 32°F) to ensure a firm texture and excellent quality.  While 18,000 metric tonnes were harvested in 2009, the fishery is expanding and the quota for 2010 is 23,000 metric tonnes.