Salmon Gillnet Area C - North Coast / Haida Gwaii

HARVESTING PROFILE

Salmon by Gill Net

North Coast / Haida Gwaii — SALMON AREA C

Fish harvesters use curtains of netting suspended by a system of floats and weights to catch salmon. The fine netting is almost invisible so salmon unwittingly swim into the mesh. As they try to back out, their gill covers get snagged and the fish becomes entangled in the net.

HARVESTING METHOD

Gill Net

Gill-netting is an effective and selective method of harvesting salmon. Vessels average less than 40 feet (12 metres) in length and have a small crew who are often family members. Gill-netters set their nets in rivers, estuaries or coastal inlets attempting to catch the salmon as they school and swim back to their natal rivers.

Fish harvesters set their rectangular nets from either the stern or bow of their vessels. Altering the mesh size, the way in which nets are suspended in the water and the amount of time they soak allows fish harvesters to selectively target certain species or sizes. Because of their effectiveness at catching salmon, gill-net fishery openings tend to be relatively short, allowing fish harvesters only hours or a few days to net their catch.

Conservation Measures

Gill-netting has a low impact on marine. A number of controls address conservation in the salmon gillnet fishery. These include:

strict annual catch limits
limitation on number of licensed fishing vessels;
restrictions on landing small fish;
seasonal and area closures for conservation purposes;
minimum mesh sizes on nets;
mandatory use of revival tanks to increase the survival rate of bycatch or non-targeted species ;
strict monitoring and recording of catch in logbooks

Quality and Handling

Gill-net-caught salmon are known for their quality and freshness. Gill-net fisheries tend to take place near fishing ports where catch can quickly be delivered and processed at local fish plants. When fishing is slow, gill-netters often gut and clean their salmon aboard their vessels, and store them on ice. When catches are large, gillnetters often sell their salmon “in the round,” that is, without being gutted or cleaned. They are sold to packing vessels that quickly deliver the catch to fish plants where the fish is cleaned, washed, processed and, in some cases, frozen. The quick processing ensures that gill-net-caught salmon maintain their quality and freshness.

Harvesting Area

The North Coast and Haida Gwaii, known as “Area F” by fisheries managers, is a fecund region of rainforests fjords, archipelagos, crystal clear lakes and salmon-bearing rivers that flow into some of the richest marine zones on the planet. The region consists of the archipelago of Haida Gwaii and Inside Passage which is dotted with thousands of islands, winding inlets and soaring mountains. The region is sparsely populated with towns, villages and Indian reserves, and is home to several aboriginal tribes including the Haida, Tsimshian, Nisga’a, Hailsa, Oweekeno, Kitasoo, Nuxulk and Heiltsuk. These tiny ports support the troll fishery with a variety of services and are the landing locations for catch.

Members

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North Coast / Haida Gwaii
PRIMARY SPECIES	Sockeye Salmon
SECONDARY SPECIES	Keta Chum Pink Salmon Sockeye Salmon
Secondary species are those fish that are landed while fishermen are targeting their primary species.

ECO-RATINGS / CERTIFICATIONS
Marine Stewardship Council - Certified Ocean Wise - Recommended Seafood Watch - Good Alternative SeaChoice - Some Concerns
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans manages this fishery as part of an integrated fisheries management strategy for all salmon in southern B.C. Download the most recent plan (PDF).
FISH STOCK STATUS
Salmon stocks are assessed by scientists in the Department and Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). For the most recent stock status, visit DFO Science.

LATEST CATCH

June 26, 2013 Sockeye Salmon

Don Ekroth in Portland Inlet
July 23, 2014 Sockeye Salmon

Don Ekroth on the Central Coast
June 12, 2014 Sockeye Salmon

Barry Marcotte in Portland Inlet
June 12, 2014 Sockeye Salmon

Don Ekroth in Portland Inlet
June 26, 2013 Sockeye Salmon

Barry Marcotte in Portland Inlet

FEATURED
HARVESTER

Paul Smith

Atlantic Lobster Fisherman

Pugwash

Sockeye Salmon Food Info

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Based on one serving of 1/2 fillet (198 g) of raw sockeye salmon

TASTING NOTES

Colour: the richest red of all salmon, from deep orange to deep red
Texture: the firmest of Pacific salmon with medium-sized flakes
Flavour: a delicious, full-flavoured fillet whose high fat and oil content give it a distinctive richness
Perfect serve: Prized in Japanese cuisine, the sockeye’s firm, deep vermillion fillets are perfect for great-looking and tasting sashimi. Raw morsels, dipped in quality soy sauce with a dash of wasabi, quite literally melt in the mouth.

HOW TO CHOOSE A QUALITY SOCKEYE SALMON

Properly handled and chilled on ice, fresh Sockeye salmon has a shelf life of 12 days. Frozen Sockeye maintains its quality for up to 18 months if properly packaged and stored. When choosing fresh sockeye, look out for the following:

Generally, brighter skin colour equates to better meat colour and quality.
The flesh should be very firm and together – any feathering or flaking in the raw state shows a potential problem.
Avoid fish with slimy skin and scales that seem to fall out easily.
The fish should smell of the sea – nothing but a sweet saltiness. If it has a distinctly fishy smell, it is no longer as fresh as it should be.

FEATURED RECIPE

Lemon and Spice Scented Sockeye with Zesty Tartar Sauce

Try out this flavourful sockeye salmon recipe from Barb Barnes of Sobeys Kitchen. Lightly spiced with lemon, cumin and coriander, this sockeye recipe is perfect for the summertime barbeque.

Description

Try out this flavourful sockey salmon recipe from Barb Barnes of Sobeys Kitchen. Lightly spiced with lemon, cumin and coriander, this sockeye recipe is perfect for the summertime barbeque. Quick and easy to prepare, it also comes with a zesty tartare sauce.

Ingredients

2 tbsp (30 mL) Compliments Canola Oil
2 tsp (10 mL) grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp (2 mL) Compliments Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and freshly ground pepper
2 pkg (227g) each Sensations Wild Sockeye Salmon Fillets, thawed, rinsed and patted dry
Chopped fresh cilantro
Zesty Tartar Sauce, recipe follows

Cooking Instructions

Total time: 30 minutes Serves: 4

To prepare seasoned oil mixture, combine oil, lemon peel, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper in a Compliments Large freezer Bag. Add salmon fillets and squeeze bag to coat fillets with oil mixture; seal bag. Let stand for 15 minutes. Preheat gas or electric barbecue.

Remove salmon from seasoned oil and discard any remaining oil mixture. Grill salmon, over medium heat, turning once to sear both sides of fillets, for 5 minutes per side or until salmon flakes easily with a fork. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with Zesty Tartar sauce.

Zesty Tartar Sauce

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup (60 mL) Compliments Balance Mayonnaise with 2 tbsp (30 mL) Compliments Sweet Green Relish, 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) Compliments Cayenne Pepper and a pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

SEE MORE RECIPES

FUN FACTS

Sockeye were the first salmon to be harvested commercially in the Pacific Region.
The name “sockeye” is said to have derived from the Coast Salish name “sukkai”, at one time a common name for these fish in southwest BC.
Some believe sockeye get their distinctive deep red flesh from a diet of orange zooplankton.

An initiative of