Marbled Chinook Salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

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The Marbled Chinook is a distinct fish that occurs predominantly in the fisheries of Washington and Southwestern British Columbia. It is believed that these Chinooks, (as opposed to the Red or White Chinook) originate from tributaries of the Lower Fraser, the Harrison, the Vedder and Chilliwack Rivers of Southern British Columbia.
Chinook is known by many names—“King Salmon” on the US Pacific Coast, “Spring Salmon” in British Columbia and “Quinnat,” “Tyee,” “Tule,” or “Blackmouth” in other parts of the North Pacific Coast. Regardless of the name, the characteristics are consistent. The fish is robust and deep-bodied with a bluish-green coloration on its back that fades to silvery sides and a white belly.  The term “marbled” refers to the coloration of its flesh, which contains varying amounts of both red and white pigmentation of the flesh, which gives it a marbled appearance throughout the body of the fish. When fishermen catch a Chinook salmon, they don’t know if it will be red, white or marbled until it is cleaned.
The Washington Marbled Chinook is thus easily identifiable and constitutes the only readily apparent ‘regionally distinct’ salmon.  The annual catch of Chinook salmon in Washington is seasonably variable and can be   comprised of 15% to 50% marbled fish. Despite the high catch, the marbled flesh doesn’t sell well to consumers who are more familiar with red Chinook and tend to believe that red salmon is of higher quality.
Washington Marbled Chinook Salmon has a full and rich flavor with a firm texture and a silky mouth feel due to its high fat content.  It is featured, when available, at several of Seattle’s premium restaurants and receives rave reviews from customers.

Greater public awareness of the flavor of this lesser known color of Chinook will increase the value of this sustainably harvested fish and help to economically sustain the coastal communities in Washington who catch marbled Chinook salmon.

Sources

All of the Washington Salmon Trollers are owner-operators who fish alone or with their families or a deckhand. More than half the fleet are members of the Makah & Quillayute Indian Nations who fish under their own treaty management, along side the non-tribal trollers. The season begins May 1 and ends Sept 15 for tribal fishers and ends for non-tribal fishers when their quota is filled.

A Marbled Chinook only reveals itself upon cleaning. They are rarely found at the counter of local fishmongers. At this time restaurants and consumer place standing orders with the fishers for whole Marbled Chinook that are filled when they do become available.

Geoff LeBon
2567 NE 107th
Seattle 98105
206-440-7993
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Dave Sones (Fisher)
Vice Chairman, Makah Tribal Council
PO Box 115
Neah Bay, WA 98357
360-645-3231
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Amy Grondin (Fisher)
Slow Food Seattle
1450 30th Street
Port Townsend, WA 98368
206-295-4931
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Jeremy Brown (Fisher)
Slow Food Four Corners
3217 Greenwood
Bellingham WA 98225
360-201-2487
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Sarah Fisken
Continuing Education Coordinator
Washington Sea Grant Program
Westwall Bldg., Rm. 124
Fishermen’s Terminal
Seattle, WA 98199
206543-1225
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Gerry Warren
Slow Food Seattle
4825 Stanford Ave. NE
Seattle WA 98105
206-818-5366
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Find Producers on LocalHarvest

http://www.localharvest.org/ark-product.jsp?id=222