The Salmon
Salmon Life Cycle
Amazingly, adult salmon are able to relocate their place of birth to lay their eggs around late Autumn, beginning of winter. This involves swimming upstream, leaving the open ocean to navigate through rivers and streams to reach their original hatching ground.
In the Tyne you can see fish moving up river from the sea and Estuary from around September continuing into October and November. At that time you can see fish leaping at the weir in Hexham - an amazing sight!
The female salmon begin by digging a pit in the gravel, using their powerful tails. This pit is known as a 'redd'. Upstream of Hexham, you might be lucky enough to see them digging the spawning 'redds' in gravel on the Tyne and its tributaries. The females then release their eggs into the redd, up to 6000 at a time, and then the males fertilise the eggs by releasing their sperm, known as milt. The female salmon then covers the fertilised eggs with gravel.
As the eggs develop, they hatch into alevins usually around spring time and remain in the gravel, feeding on their yolk sacs. Clean gravel and a good flow of clear, oxygenated water, are key to salmon survival. Once the yolk has been eaten, the alevins develop into salmon fry, roughly an inch in size. They then leave their gravel bed as young fish and begin foraging for food in the stream.
As the young fish become more adventurous, they move away from the area where they hatched and claim their own territory in the stream. At this point, the fish are know as 'parr'. The parr can be recognised by the fingerprint marks down their sides. After 1-3 years, the salmon lose these markings and become silvery-grey in colour. Their pectoral and caudal fins darken; this is known as smolting, hence the name smolt. Finally, the smolts move downstream preparing to leave the river for the open ocean.
Salmon spend usually one or two years at sea before returning to their hatching ground to in turn, spawn and produce the next generation of salmon!
Salmon are just one of many of the great animal migrations that go on all over the world. Click here to find out more at the BBC 'World on the Move' page.
How to catch a salmon
The north east has many fantastic fishing venues. From the beautiful
and tranquil spots in Northumberland to the busy and bustling Newcastle
Gateshead Quayside, you will never get bored of places to fish. 'Where
to go fishing - Northumbira area', will provide you with all the
information you need including rod licence information, anglings'
golden rules and fisheries byelaws to ensure you stay on the right side
of the law. Please follow the link to access the fishing guide:
http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/GEHO0607BMLX-e-e.pdf?lang=_e
If you are interested in getting involved with fishing or an angling
club you must have a rod licence. To purchase a rod licence online
please go to the following Environment Agency link:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/fish/399730/?version=1&lang=_e
You can also purchase a licence from any Post Office in England and Wales, on our telephone sales number (0870 166 2662), or by direct debit on 08708 506 506.
You must be 12 or over to purchase a rod licence. Children under 12 do not require a rod licence to go fishing.
The rod licence enables you to fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish
and eels in England (except the Tweed) and Wales and the Border Esk and
its tributaries in Scotland.
All full and concessionary rod licences expire on the 31st March each year.
Money from the sale of licences helps to fund our work managing
fisheries. If you are caught fishing without one, you are cheating
other anglers and could be fined up to £2,500.
Salmon Facts
Did you know?
- Salmon evolved with the glaciers
- Salmon once ran in all rivers of Northern Europe from Iceland to Portugal (including British Isles and Scandinavia).
- Europeans were salmon dependent 25,000 years ago - salmon was the main food source.
- Native peoples from the Ainu people in Japan to the Klamath people of America welcomed the first salmon ceremoniously.
- Some salmon run up to 1,000 miles inland.
- The Irish believed in a salmon of wisdom who when caught and eaten bestowed wisdom on the diner.
- The highest jump a salmon has been known to make in Scotland is a vertical one of 12ft at the Orrin Falls in Ross-shire.
- In autumn salmon return from their long voyage at sea to spawn in the river of their birth. Scientists still don't know how salmon manage to find exactly the same river of their birth.
Traditionally fish represented life itself and salmon was the best of all. The first caught salmon was shared ceremonially, and its bones returned to sea to ensure an abundant salmon run that year.
After hatching and a few months in the river, salmon migrate to the ocean and return after three to four years to spawn and die.
Commercial salmon feed contains ground carrots to provide the colour. Wild salmon's colour comes from krill, tiny shrimp, on which they feed.
Salmon navigation is one of the marvels of nature. Near the coast and in the rivers, salmon are guided by a chemical memory which apparently allows them to recognise and home to substances, including pheromones, present in the water in very minute traces.
Salmon as Food
Nutrition Facts
If you want more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet then eat more salmon, you won't find a richer source. One 4-ounce serving gives you a whopping 2.1 grams of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids help prevent the formation of blood clots. They do this by making blood less "sticky." As a result, risk of thrombotic stroke is lessened, as well as risk of embolic stroke, where the clot forms elsewhere in the body before travelling to the brain.
Omega 3 acts as a "health hero" against hypertension, breast cancer, and depression. Other benefits include: less chance of developing heart disease, lower risk of heart attack even where heart disease does exist, lower blood pressure, possible improvement of kidney function in severe diabetes, and possible improvement of certain inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, psoriasis, and kidney disease.
Some people believe salmon holds one of the vital keys to looking younger. Eaten in enough quantities with certain other foods, they claim it can actually wipe away wrinkles.
Preserving Salmon Worldwide
West Coast Indians invented salmon jerky by brining fillets and hot smoking the flesh with alder and cherry woods.
Gravad lax, a Swedish specialty, is produced by marinating salmon in sugar, salt and dill.
Scottish and Irish are masters in smoking fish in general, but salmon in particular. English have always revered smoked salmon, especially the type invented in Baltic countries by Jews living in St. Petersburg, Tallinn, and Latvia, and whose ancestors originated in Romania.
Baltic salmon smokers used white salmon and steeped the fillets in a brine, then hot-smoked them over oak sawdust.
After World War I, many of the Jewish fish smokers went to London and created the 'London Cure' based on their old techniques. Here they use the superior quality Scottish salmon, which yields a much more flavourful smoked salmon.
Scottish smoked salmon may be marinated in Scotch whisky, and hot-or cold-smoked. Wild or farmed salmon may be used. Irish salmon tends to be less smoky, versus the Scottish version. Some ingenious Scottish salmon smokers use whisky barrel chips to obtain a uniquely flavoured smoked salmon.
Recipes
ORANGE LEMON AND DILL SALMON
Ingredients
- Grated zest and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 salmon steaks
- 40g butter
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped dill
- fresh watercress to serve
Method
Blend together the orange and lemon zest and juice, oil, mustard and seasoning.
Place the salmon steaks in a dish, pour over the citrus marinade and leave for 1-2 hours.
Meanwhile, blend together the butter, dill and seasoning. Place on a sheet of cling film and roll up to form a sausage shape. Chill until firm, then cut into 8 rounds.
Grill the salmon under a preheated moderate grill for 15-20 minutes, turning and basting occasionally with the marinade.
Serve immediately on a bed of watercress with the herb butter rounds.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH SMOKED SALMON AND TOMATO HERB SAUCE
Ingredients
- 175g thinly sliced smoked salmon
- 225g angel hair (capellini) pasta
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 3 tblsp olive oil
- 2 seeded and chopped tomatoes
- 110 ml dry white wine
- 3 tblsp drained large capers
- 1 tsp dill
- 1 tsp basil
- 110g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Parsley, optional
Method
Cut smoked salmon, with the grain, into 1/2-inch wide strips; reserve. Cook pasta as package directs.
Meanwhile, in large heavy frying pan, stir and cook garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat until garlic is golden. Add most of the tomatoes, wine, capers, dill and basil; stir and cook until mixture is hot.
Drain pasta, place in large serving bowl. Toss angel hair with tomato mixture. Add smoked salmon and cheese; toss gently.
Garnish with remaining tomatoes and parsley, if desired.
SMOKED SALMON CANAPES WITH MASCARPONE
Ingredients
The sweetnes of mascarpone cheese makes these canapes special. A lightly smoked salmon works best in this mild combination.
- 75g unsalted butter softened
- 75g snipped chives
- 225g thinly sliced smoked salmon
- 225g mascarpone cheese
- 3 tablespoons chopped dill
- 36 (1 inch) rounds whole-wheat or pumpernickel bread
- Dill sprigs
Combine butter and chives. Roll bite-size pieces of smoked salmon into 1-inch-high cone shapes. Stir mascarpone cheese with chopped dill until fluffy. Fit pastry bag with fine tube. Fill pastry bag with dill cheese. To assemble, spread chive butter on bread rounds. Place rolled salmon cones upright on bread rounds. Pipe dill cheese into centre of each cone. Garnish with small dill sprigs. Can be made few hours in advance and refrigerated. Before serving, let stand briefly to remove chill.
TERIYAKI SALMON
Ingredients
- 4 salmon steaks (about 6 oz. each), skinned, or 1-1½ lbs fillet, skinned
- 1.25 ups soy sauce
- 1/3 cup sake (Japanese rice wine), mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine), or sherry
- 6Tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1 Tbsp minced or grated ginger root
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Method
Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.
To prepare the salmon: quickly rinse the salmon under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
Divide each steak into 2 pieces by cutting along either side of the central bone and then discarding the bone; alternatively, cut the fillet into 8 equal pieces.
Place the salmon in a shallow glass or ceramic container and pour 1 cup of the marinade over the fish.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, turning the fish occasionally.
Let come to room temperature before cooking.
Prepare grill.
Remove the salmon from the marinade, reserving the marinade.
Place the fish on an oiled grill rack.
Position the fish 5 to 6 inches from the heat source, turning once and brushing with the reserved marinade several times, until the flesh is just opaque, 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
Serve the salmon at once with reserved marinade as dipping sauce.
Makes 4 servings.
Tyne Rivers Trust
The Tyne Rivers Trust is an environmental charity dedicated to conserving, enhancing and educating the public about the importance of the Tyne Catchment area and its wildlife.
The Tyne Rivers Trust runs a number of programmes designed to offer people the opportunity to learn more about the rivers in the Tyne Catchment, monitor river quality and get involved and enjoy the catchment. The Trust's website has lots of information and details about how you can help(www.tyneriverstrust.org). Alternatively, please email info@tyneriverstrust.org or ring 01434 611817 for more information.
The Tyne Rivers Trust also runs FishTyne - a sustainable tourism and fishing lets business that promotes the Tyne as a visitor and fishing destination as well as providing vital information about river condition for visitors and local people. Visit www.fishtyne.co.uk.
