Pink salmon is a fish that is ubiquitous in the cold waters of salt and fresh water bodies. The predator has an attractive appearance, which changes during spawning. The meat of adult individuals is tasty and nutritious, but is much cheaper than other representatives of the salmon family. Let's look at where pink salmon are found, what they eat and what they look like.
How do you cook pink salmon?
- Salting 46%, 995 votes
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- Baking in the oven 40%, 863 votes
863 votes 40%
863 votes - 40% of all votes
- Other 8%, 165 votes
165 votes 8%
165 votes - 8% of all votes
- Varka 5%, 105 votes
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- In salads 2%, 50 votes
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50 votes - 2% of all votes
Total votes: 2178
18.06.2020
- Salting 46%, 995 votes
995 votes 46%995 votes - 46% of all votes
- Baking in the oven 40%, 863 votes
863 votes 40%
863 votes - 40% of all votes
- Other 8%, 165 votes
165 votes 8%
165 votes - 8% of all votes
- Varka 5%, 105 votes
105 votes 5%
105 votes - 5% of all votes
- In salads 2%, 50 votes
50 votes 2%
50 votes - 2% of all votes
Total votes: 2178
18.06.2020
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Habitat
Pink salmon live in cold salty and fresh water bodies. In warm water at a temperature of 25°C, individuals die. The most optimal temperature conditions are from 5 to 14°C.
Fish can be found in large numbers on the American and Asian coasts of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, from the Northern Californian Sacramento River to the Canadian Mackenzie, from the Siberian Lena to the shores of Korea.
Pink salmon can migrate thousands of kilometers from the freshwater body of water in which they were born. The life cycle is divided into two even periods - sea and river.
In some countries, the population of the species is so large that they are trying to destroy many individuals. It turned out that they do not belong to foods suitable for human consumption. In Norway, such fish really clog up water bodies, so they are fed to domestic animals or disposed of, but not caught for sale. Individuals came to this country in the 60s of the 20th century and occupied most of the rivers. Norwegians do not recognize pink salmon and consider it an alien species and do not eat it. Residents believe that the appearance of such fish has caused significant harm to the country's ecosystem. This is especially noticeable during spawning periods, when fish remains of individuals that spawned and died of natural causes are scattered everywhere. The corresponding photos can be found on the Internet.
Where is it found in Russia
In Russia, pink salmon can be found along the entire coast of Siberia from the Lena River to Peter the Great Bay. She lives and swims in the area of the Commander and Kuril Islands, on Sakhalin.
Around the middle of the 20th century, attempts were made to introduce pink salmon into the waters of the Murmansk region. For this reason, the fish spread throughout the Kola Peninsula. It is difficult to calculate how many salmon are present there at the moment.
Unlike Norway, Sweden and other Scandinavian countries, in Russia Far Eastern fish is highly valued for its pleasant taste, health benefits and low price compared to other representatives of salmon. Despite the relative toughness and dryness of meat, it has nutritional value and is rich in useful substances necessary to maintain the proper functioning of the human body.
Where do pink salmon live?
Pink salmon is a species that belongs to the genus Pacific salmon. She is capable of migrating several thousand kilometers from her place of birth. The life cycle of these salmon covers the marine and river periods.
Sea or river fish
Initially, this fish lived in the Pacific and Arctic oceans and appeared in freshwater reservoirs to spawn. The fry that hatched from the eggs returned to the sea.
Did you know? In Norway, the pink salmon population is so large that it is destroyed or fed to dogs to prevent it from clogging up water bodies.
Distributed near the coasts of the USA, Canada, Japan, and the Asian part of the world. On the North American continent, its territory covers the coast, starting from the Sacramento River and ending with Alaska. It also successfully acclimatized in Lake Superior, one of the freshwater bodies of the Great Lakes system, although it was settled there by accident. Also found occasionally in fresh waters of Michigan in this region.
This fish is able to survive only in cold waters; temperatures above +25
° C
lead to its death.
Pink salmon came to Norway in the 60s of the last century, where they densely occupied the rivers. The reason for its appearance was the work of the Soviet Union to resettle these salmon to the shores of the Kola Peninsula. In this country, fish are considered foreign and are not caught for consumption. Norwegians fear that its appearance will cause serious harm to the region's ecosystem, especially considering that after spawning there are decomposed remains everywhere.
Also learn how to cook pink salmon with sour cream in a frying pan.
Where is it found in Russia
In Russia, this type of salmon covers the region of the Siberian coast in the area from the Lena River to Peter the Great Bay, the Commander Islands, Kuril Islands, and the Sakhalin Peninsula. At the end of the first half of the twentieth century. Attempts were made to acclimatize pink salmon in the coastal waters of the Murmansk region, which resulted in its spread throughout the Kola Peninsula.
In Russia, the fish is considered valuable, despite some dryness of the meat compared to other Pacific salmon.
Family and squad
The species in question belongs to the genus of Pacific salmon and the salmon family. Order - salmonids, class - ray-finned fish, phylum - chordates, class - ray-finned fish. The international scientific name of the species, adopted in 1792: Oncorhynchus gorbuscha. Habitat: fresh rivers and salt water bodies.
Scientists note that pink salmon are not in danger of extinction. This has been proven by numerous studies and is due to the ability of adult sexually mature individuals to produce numerous offspring (up to several thousand eggs at a time). For this reason, even changes in climatic conditions, natural enemies, human fishing and other factors cannot significantly affect the number of pink salmon as a representative of the salmon family.
Man has created special incubators where the fry are raised and then released into the wild. There is no need for artificial breeding of pink salmon, because it is not economically feasible.
Appearance
The name of this fish is directly related to how it looks. When males migrate to spawning grounds, a hump forms on their backs. For this reason, a representative of salmon is called pink salmon.
The weight of an adult can reach 2.2 kg. Body length is about 38 cm. This is one of the smallest representatives of the salmon family.
The entire body of the fish is covered with small bright silver scales. There are small dark spots on the back and in the area of the caudal fin. There is an accessory fin between the dorsal fin and the tail. This property is typical for most representatives of salmon fish.
A distinctive feature of the silverfish is its snow-white mouth. There are large dark spots above the head, on the sides and back. During the spawning period, the body turns light brown. Only the ventral part, which always remains white, as well as the fins and tail of dark tones do not change the shade.
Pink salmon swimming in sea waters looks very beautiful. When entering fresh water bodies, the appearance of individuals, especially males, changes for the worse. During spawning, enormous changes occur in the appearance of the fish. Males not only acquire an unattractive hump on their back, but also large, sharp teeth. The jaws become longer and curved.
Pink salmon are often confused with chum salmon both in photos and in real life. Some characteristics are similar to other members of the salmon family. Characteristic signs by which pink salmon can be identified:
- color of the body, fins, abdomen, area above the head;
- size (chum salmon and other salmon fish are larger and weigh much more);
- external behavior of the offspring (pink salmon fry develop in fresh water for a certain time and only then head to the ocean);
- the size of the eggs (in pink salmon they are small);
- characteristics of the meat (in the species in question it is more red, while in chum salmon it is light pink);
- scales (pink salmon have smaller scales, there are dark spots on the back and tail);
- widespread (found everywhere, so it costs less than other salmon).
Appearance and features
Photo: What pink salmon looks like
Pink salmon has an elongated body shape, characteristic of all salmon, slightly compressed on the sides. The conical head is small in size with small eyes, while the head of males is longer than that of females. The jaws, lingual and palatine bones, and vomer of pink salmon are strewn with small teeth. The scales easily fall off the surface of the body and are very small.
The back of the oceanic pink salmon is blue-green, the sides of the carcass are silver, and the belly is white. When returning to their spawning grounds, pink salmon become pale gray, and the lower part of the body acquires a yellow or greenish tint, and dark spots appear. Immediately before spawning, the color darkens significantly, and the head becomes almost black.
The body shape of females remains unchanged, but males change their appearance significantly:
- the head lengthens;
- a row of large teeth appears on the elongated jaw;
- a rather impressive hump grows on the back.
Pink salmon, like all representatives of the salmon family, have an adipose fin located between the dorsal and caudal fins. The average weight of an adult pink salmon is about 2.5 kg and a length of about half a meter. The largest specimens weigh 7 kg with a body length of 750 cm.
Distinctive features of pink salmon:
- this species of salmon has no teeth on its tongue;
- the mouth is white and there are dark oval spots on the back;
- the caudal fin is V-shaped.
White or red
The meat of young individuals that are “in the very juice” and have not yet laid eggs in freshwater bodies is described as having a red tint. However, in the store you can often find pink salmon products not only reddish in color, but also dirty gray and white. Both options are considered normal. In the first case we are talking about fish before spawning, in the second - about individuals that have completed their life cycle.
After spawning, pink salmon no longer accepts food, the functioning of its vital organs and systems is suspended, its reflexes are switched off, and it becomes hunchbacked. The meat loses its nutritional value and darkens. This product is considered feed and suitable for pet food. But a person can also eat such pink salmon if he is satisfied with the taste and appearance of the prepared fish dishes.
When choosing pink salmon products, you need to compare the contents of different packages if they are transparent. It often happens that goods from the same batch and in the same price category look and weigh differently. In this case, you need to give preference to fish that are reddish rather than white.
Sea or river fish
Scientists and other specialists who study aquatic life and catch individual individuals have not come to a consensus whether pink salmon is a sea or river fish. It turned out that she constantly migrates, flocking into numerous flocks. The fish spends half its life in salty ocean waters, the other half prefers to be in freshwater rivers and lakes.
Fish move from the ocean to fresh water bodies, first singly and then in huge schools. Pink salmon set off at the moment when the ice cover begins to melt from the rivers.
For reproduction, this representative of salmon chooses clean streams with fast currents. Thus, spawning occurs in fresh waters. The fry that appear in non-salty water bodies develop there to certain parameters and then migrate to the ocean. Individuals under 2 months of age are extremely rare in the ocean.
Interesting! After spawning, the fish does not return to sea waters. Having laid eggs, it stops feeding and dies.
Distribution and habitats
Pink salmon can be found in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, along the American and Asian coasts. It enters the territory of our country during the spawning period, is found in the rivers of the Bering Sea and goes south to the Peter the Great Gulf. Less commonly, pink salmon can be found in rivers that are tributaries of the Arctic Ocean. The fish swims to Amguema, Kolyma, Indigirka, Yana and Lena. In America it is found on the coast of Alaska up to the Sacramento River.
In 2001, pink salmon were caught in the Pyasina River, near Pestsovy Island. Along the Amur River the fish rise quite low, but in the Ussuri River they are not found at all. Pink salmon were spotted near Kamchatka, Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands and in Japan, near the island of Hokkaido. The northern waters of the Pacific Ocean are especially rich in pink salmon. During feeding, the fish mix with American and Asian stocks.
Predator or not
Pink salmon is a predatory fish. She needs nutritious food of natural origin. The basis of its diet is small fish, as well as fry and numerous crustaceans. Individuals are very fond of eating midges, stonefly larvae, chironomids, and small copepods.
It happens that young fish feed on plankton and benthos. While in the shelf zone, pink salmon eat the larvae of bottom invertebrates. At great depths, the diet includes anchovies, squid, fry and other small water inhabitants.
Interesting! When the fish spawns, it stops feeding completely. This is due to the stoppage of the digestive system and inhibition of feeding reflexes.
Pink salmon itself can become food for other sea and river inhabitants or land animals. Caviar is eaten by many fish. Adults can become prey for toothed smelt and larger predator fish, seagulls, and ducks. While they are in salty waters, pink salmon are fed by seals, beluga whales, and sharks. During spawning, bears and otters, large birds of prey, will not refuse a fish treat.
Varieties of pink salmon
This representative of the salmon family is an independent species and has no subspecies. This is explained by the ability of representatives of distant populations to interbreed with each other. In addition, most young healthy individuals most often remain in the same ocean conditions, migrating at a certain period of time to spawn. The lifespan of these aquatic inhabitants is very short, they are resistant to the effects of climate change during the spawning period.
However, scientists still note significant external differences between adult individuals living in salt and fresh water, which are periodically caught. There are also differences between the fish that come to brood in even and odd years. Unofficially, pink salmon is divided into 2 varieties: river and sea.
Reproduction
At the age of about 2 years, adults leave salt waters and head to freshwater bodies to spawn. For spawning, pink salmon choose places with faster currents and a bottom that is covered with large pebbles. How does this salmon spawn:
- at the end of summer, females leave the sea and find themselves in fresh waters, and then dig small holes at the bottom of a river or lake using their tails (photos can be seen on the Internet);
- fish spawn (it also happens that the number reaches several thousand eggs);
- fertilization of germ cells by males occurs;
- the eggs are buried in sand and stones;
- adult individuals stop feeding and functioning normally, become unattractive and hunchbacked, and then die;
- in late autumn or early winter, fry emerge from the eggs;
- at the very beginning, the offspring of pink salmon eat the contents of the yolk sac in the eggs;
- the fry are actively growing and at the beginning of summer they set off for the ocean, feeding well along the way and developing normally;
- individuals live in salt water until the coming summer.
The diameter of the eggs is up to 8 mm. They are pale in color, but have a very durable shell.
Brief description and features
Fish in their natural environment live on average from 3 to 5 years. The appearance of the fish changes as it ages. Most adult individuals undergo severe anatomical transformations, even changing the color of their scales during the breeding season, which contributes to exhaustion. Because of this, and also because of the need to overcome a long path to spawning grounds, most adult individuals die after spawning.
Appearance
For most of their lives, the male and female look similar. They have an oblong body, flattened laterally. The back is covered with small marsh-colored scales. The scales on the sides are brown and the scales on the belly are white. The dorsal and caudal fins are decorated with dark spots.
These fish have 2 dorsal fins. Pink salmon can be easily distinguished from other salmon by the characteristic hump located between the dorsal fin and the head. Males have a more prominent hump than females. Fat accumulates in this area. The head is relatively small. Both jaws have an oblong shape. This fish has teeth.
The body of an individual ready for reproduction gradually changes, adapting to river water. At the same time, adult individuals going to spawn stop eating and even drinking water, completely switching to fat reserves accumulated during their life in the ocean, stored under the skin, as well as on internal organs.
During this period, females and males acquire a burgundy-reddish hue. Black spots on the back and fins become more pronounced. Males develop a characteristic curvature of the lower and upper jaws. During the breeding season, the male and female have pronounced differences in appearance.
At the same time, red fish during the breeding season is less useful for humans, since the amount of nutrients in it is high only at the very beginning of its movement to the spawning grounds. In pink salmon that have almost reached the spawning site, the content of nutrients in the meat drops to a minimum due to general depletion.
Distribution and habitats
Pink salmon is cold-loving. Temperatures above 25.8°C are detrimental to it. It is impossible to accurately answer the question whether pink salmon is a sea or river fish, since it goes into freshwater to spawn. The fish's habitat changes as it grows.
The fry are born in rivers. Depending on the area, young individuals can remain in rivers from 3 to 8 months. In mountain rivers the water is clean enough for the normal life of juveniles. In addition, she has enough food here, so she can stay in rivers for a long time, being completely safe from predators that are common in salt waters.
After this, the juveniles migrate to the oceans to gain body weight. As they move towards the ocean, the young individuals change, adapting to salt water. They acquire a number of essential abilities necessary for life in the ocean. Changes occurring in the body give them the opportunity to drink sea water, filtering and removing salt from the body.
These fish spend almost their entire adult life in salt water. Thus, the sexually mature representative of this family is a marine fish. Rearing occurs in Pacific waters. The habitat of pink salmon determines the high content of nutrients in meat and caviar. These creatures are most often found off the coast:
- Sea of Japan.
- Kuril Islands.
- Sakhalin.
- Kamchatka.
In order to give birth to a new generation, adult individuals often must travel many kilometers to the upper reaches of rivers, overcoming high rapids and strong currents. Pink salmon spawn in the following rivers:
- Amur.
- Lena.
- Indigirka.
- Yana.
The fish always returns to spawn in the place where it was born.
Beneficial properties and harm of pink salmon meat
Such fish is a source of easily digestible protein, so the use of the product is recommended for weight loss and dietary nutrition due to health problems. Meat is healthy due to its content of polyunsaturated fatty acids and minerals.
What does regular consumption of this representative of the salmon family lead to:
- improvement of the condition of hair, nails, skin;
- strengthening bones and teeth;
- normalization of metabolism; slowing down the aging process of the body;
- improving performance and concentration, memory;
- increasing immunity;
- restoration of normal functioning of the nervous system;
- stimulation of the thyroid gland and the endocrine system as a whole;
- normalization of blood sugar levels;
- reducing the risk of developing malignant neoplasms;
- prevention of erosion processes in the gastrointestinal tract;
- prevention of heart and vascular diseases.
Pink salmon can be eaten by almost all adults and children. The exception is for persons with product intolerance and allergic reactions to seafood. Also, such fish should not be eaten by people with the following pathological processes:
- diseases of the stomach, intestines and other organs of the digestive system;
- diseases of the liver and urinary organs.
Serebryanka is contraindicated in case of intolerance to iodine and phosphorus. It is not recommended for small children under 3 years of age to eat it.
Properties
Pink salmon spawning
Useful
Pink salmon is a fish that, along with others, has many beneficial properties. These beneficial properties of fish are due, first of all, to the presence of unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids in its meat. Such acids are vital for the human body, but they are practically not found in any other food product, especially in such quantities as in pink salmon.
- Omega-3 fatty acids prevent the body from aging and protect cells and tissues from the harmful effects of free radicals. The antioxidant effect of acids protects the structure of DNA molecules, preventing free radicals from making changes to them. At the same time, the risk of developing malignant tumors is significantly reduced.
- Pink salmon is a fish from the salmon family, which is characterized by a high fat content. But pink salmon contains several times less fat, which allows it to be included in the group of products intended for dietary nutrition.
- Pink salmon meat is high in amino acids, which are very easily absorbed by the human body. Eating fish meat is useful for sick and weakened people, children and the elderly, since pink salmon is able to provide the body with sufficient building material without requiring extra energy costs to digest protein.
- Pink salmon meat has a beneficial effect on the human circulatory system due to the large amount of minerals it contains, including fluorine. An element such as fluorine is usually found only in fish. And this is an irreplaceable substance necessary for dental health. To keep your teeth healthy, you need to regularly include fish in your diet, including pink salmon.
- Pink salmon contains substances that are responsible for the functioning of the human internal glands. They also normalize lipid and water metabolism in the body.
- Fish has a beneficial effect on a person’s external condition. With regular consumption, the appearance of skin, hair and nails improves. Antioxidants prevent the destruction of skin and hair cells, providing them with smoothness and a healthy shine. The skin is smoothed, which indicates the rejuvenating effect of pink salmon. Pink salmon is useful for the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory tract.
- Pink salmon meat contains many vitamins included in group B. These vitamins are responsible not only for carbohydrate, lipid, protein and water-salt metabolism, but also participate in the processes of blood formation. They also regulate the functioning of the nervous system, affecting mood and performance. When pink salmon is regularly included in the diet, a person’s intellectual abilities and memory improve.
- Pink salmon has a good effect on the human digestive system. The general strengthening effect of fish is that it contains almost all the vitamins and minerals necessary for human health. It is useful to regularly arrange fish days to increase the body’s resistance to external negative influences and provide it with building material.
- Pink salmon is one of the few sources of iodine, which is necessary for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. With a lack of iodine, numerous diseases develop.
Harmful
Pink salmon is a product that has virtually no contraindications, with the exception of some cases. Due to the fact that it contains a lot of iodine and phosphorus, it is contraindicated for people suffering from an excess of these minerals in the body. Salted pink salmon should not be eaten by people with kidney disease or urinary system disease. It is better for pregnant women to avoid it to avoid swelling.
In isolated cases, pink salmon meat causes allergic reactions due to its individual intolerance. Therefore, people sensitive to pink salmon meat should exclude it from their diet.
What does shabby mean?
There is a term called "hound" which is described as a fish that has undergone spawning changes before or after spawning. The meat becomes like a slippery mass of an unattractive brownish tint, and tastes worse than usual.
In stores you can find products made from pink salmon, the packaging of which is marked “fish with spawning changes.” This means that in an individual that has gained strength and weight on the way to the spawning site, after laying eggs, reverse processes are launched. She stops eating, her immune defense is completely switched off, her body does not receive proteins and other useful substances. The fish is still alive, but most vital processes are suspended, and life in nature enters its final stage. An individual that spawns only once acquires an unattractive appearance: the skeleton, jaws, and scales change, which can be seen in photographs on the Internet.
Enterprising fishermen easily catch barely fluttering bodies in large containers and transport the carcasses en masse for further cutting and packaging. If the packaging contains an insignia that it contains products with spawning changes, and the abbreviation “C20” is stamped on the tin can, then this is a thin fish that is better not to eat. The taste of dishes of this type leaves much to be desired. No matter how much this product is baked in various spices, it will not bring any benefit to the human body and will not bring much pleasure.
External description of pink salmon
The fish got its name due to its appearance. During migration to spawning grounds, males develop a hump on their backs; because of this feature, one of the salmon fish is called pink salmon.
The scales of this fish are small and bright silver in color. The back and caudal fin area are covered with small dark spots. Unlike many fish, salmon species have an additional fin that is located between the dorsal fin and the tail.
Another distinctive feature of pink salmon is its white mouth. In salty sea waters it looks very attractive; when it enters a fresh environment, the appearance of individuals, especially males, changes dramatically.
The head, sides and back area are covered with large black spots, and during the spawning period the body of the fish acquires a light brown color. Only the belly does not change its color, always remaining white, and the fins and tail are of an unchanged dark shade.
During the spawning period, it is quite interesting to see what pink salmon looks like . The males turn into some kind of monsters. Large humps appear on their backs. The jaws become long, curved, and huge sharp teeth appear in them. Usually a beautiful fish has a completely unattractive appearance.
Features and useful properties
Pink salmon is a popular commercial fish. Salmon species stand out among all the inhabitants of the seas and rivers for such a valuable product as caviar. In pink salmon it is especially large. The meat of this fish also has a set of valuable substances, such as:
- Vitamin B12;
- Sodium;
- Calcium;
- Fluorine;
- Sulfur;
- Phosphorus;
- Iodine;
- Omega-3 fatty acid;
- Vitamin RR.
Dishes made from pink salmon have an exceptional ability to replenish the human body with a mass of useful substances that are not found in many seafood and, especially, in other, less valuable fish. The variety and quantity of vitamins sometimes surprises, delights and suggests that pink salmon is unique and healthy.
One can especially highlight the beneficial substance found in all salmon fish species, namely Omega-3 fatty acids. They are present in huge quantities in pink salmon. Unsaturated fatty acids are not found in animal products, vegetables and fruits, so this fish is especially valued.
- Omega-3 fatty acids prevent the human body from aging quickly and become a barrier against the harmful effects of free radicals. The effect of acids protects the structure of molecules, preventing radicals from making changes to them. Thanks to these processes, the development of cancerous tumors is significantly reduced.
- Salmon fish products are high in fat, which is not recommended for people with increased body weight or with health contraindications. Pink salmon is the only subspecies included in the list of food products used during diets.
- Amino acids are contained in huge quantities in this fish and are quite easily absorbed in the human body. People with poor health, the elderly and teenagers must always have red and pink salmon meat on their dinner table.
- A wide range of minerals, as well as fluorine, present in pink salmon meat, amazingly contribute to the efficient functioning of the human circulatory system. Fluoride is only present in seafood and fish. For beauty and good quality of tooth enamel, you should eat salmon meat.
- Daily consumption of fish products has a surprising effect on a person’s appearance. Antioxidants prevent skin cells and hair structure from being destroyed. Hair acquires a healthy shine, and facial skin becomes bright and clean. Pink salmon creates the effect of youth. It is also useful for good vision and respiratory organs.
- To prevent the nervous system from malfunctioning, the human body needs B vitamins. The full set of vitamin substances is present in red fish. When consuming fish products, performance increases many times, brain activity and memory are enhanced.
- Iodine, necessary for the human body for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland, is present in full in salmon species.
Thus, thanks to our information, it became known where pink salmon lives and what it looks like , the beneficial properties of which are valued by humanity.
