May, 16, 2008
MARITIME
Copper River salmon arrives
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ISABELLE DILLS
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
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BELLINGHAM — Copper River salmon, prized for its rich flavor and high nutritional value, will be available at local grocery stores today.
The fish will arrive in Seattle this morning, where it will be tested for mercury content, according to Mike Lobaugh, vice president of perishables at Haggen Inc. The salmon should be available at Haggen by noon, Lobaugh said.
Brown & Cole stores, which include Cost Cutter and Food Pavilion, also are expecting to have the salmon today, according to Garry Morlock, the category manager of wild salmon for the Pacific Seafood Co., which handles seafood for Brown & Cole.
Copper River salmon store a lot of oils during their long journey up the river in southern Alaska, Lobaugh said. Accordingly, the salmon are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Fishing for the much-sought after salmon was open for 12 hours Thursday. Today, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game will count the number of salmon traveling up the Copper River. If the count is high, fishermen will be allowed to catch more salmon during a 12-hour period Saturday, Lobaugh said.
Salmon availability is limited since California and Oregon coast fisheries closed this season due to low returns, Lobaugh said. That has increased demand and put pressure on Alaska, Lobaugh said.
Salmon numbers go in cycles, and the California and Oregon fisheries will open again once they have a sustainable amount of fish, Lobaugh said.
Haggen will sell whole Copper River salmon at $14.99 a pound, Lobaugh said. He did not know yet how much the salmon will cost per pound if the customer doesn’t want the whole fish.
Local restaurants also are promoting the fish.
Anthony’s HomePort Squalicum Harbor, 25 Bellwether Way, expects to have the salmon available Saturday, according to souschef Rob Holmes.
The owner of Hotel Bellwether’s Harborside Bistro, 1 Bellwether Way, also is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the fish. It will be served as a special addition to the menu as soon as it becomes available, Fahri Ugurlu said.
