Although since the last crisis the fish consumption in Spain It is declining slightly, there is a species that continues to conquer the palate of many Spaniards. We mean salmon. Why is this fish so loved in our country? It has managed to be the king of consumption, dethroning the traditional hake. We are going to discover more about this product so requested by consumers because there are several reasons that have led it to the top among seafood.
Salmon and their natural habitat
El salmon (salar salmon) belongs to the family of salmonidae. It is also known as salmon Atlantic or salmon European. In its natural habitat it is born in the rivers or lakes where it spends almost two years until it descends to the sea, that is where its life passes until it decides to spawn to continue its offspring. It is at that moment, when the river lift begins. To do this, you must have large reserves in the form of fat and that is when 'gastronomically' has more interest to capture it.
In his ascent by the rivers he can reach climb more than 6 km per day making jumps and overcoming slopes of more than three meters. One of the curiosities of this species is that it will spawn in the same place where it was born, orienting itself in such a way that they perceive, due to the quality of the water, the specific place.
An aquaculture fish
Currently, almost all of the salmon comes from the aquaculture. The major world producers are Norway (with 40%), Chile (with 39%) and further afield Scotland and Ireland. Salmon are raised in fish farms and in the case of salmon in two very different phases. The first until they weigh around half a kilogram. At that time it is carried out in pools with fresh water.
As they grow, the water is salinized to prepare them for their second phase. In the second phase, they are installed in cages in the open sea, where they will be until they exceed five kilos and are fished for consumption. This happens between 12 and 16 months.
Photo: Norge
¿Why this fish is so beloved in Spain and how is it consumed, especially? The market of salmon it is currently global. The two large producing countries also share the quota roughly, for logistical and commercial reasons. In the case of Chile Its market covers mainly all of America and in the case of Norway covers all of Europe and Japan. In Spain the Norwegian salmon it is mainly consumed fresh, followed by smoked and frozen.
Feeding in fish farms is carried out by feed. There is a growing trend to replace protein in fish meals with vegetable protein meals. One of the most controversial in the feeding of salmon is the use of colorants so that the meat of the fish has an orange color.
Salmon meat naturally has a pale gray color, except for when they consume some small shellfish that color their meat. Currently, for commercial reasons, astaxanthin, a colorant and precursor of vitamin A, is used.
The use of antibiotics, deworming and vaccines in fish it is increasingly regulated in aquaculture, although it is true that it depends on the producing countries and the veterinary controls that are carried out.
Ecology and sustainability
One of the controversial issues in aquaculture production is the sustainability of farms. In countries like Norway The regulations are very strict and the production cages are left “fallow” so as not to disturb the seabed.
The salmon ecological It is produced with farms that guarantee the sustainability of the marine environment. Also with less density of animals per cage and with a diet based on organic feed. This means not using transgenic cereals and using sustainable fishing resources, as well as do not use antibiotics in fish production.
Why This Fish Is So Loved: Nutrients
This blue fish gives us a high nutritional value to our diet. Its high quality and its protein level close to 20% makes it a very interesting food for our diet. Like all blue fish it has a great supply of omega-3 fat that gives us cardiovascular benefits. At the level of vitamins, they provide us with group B vitamins, vitamin A and vitamin D.
The contribution of minerals is relevant, it mainly provides us with selenium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, calcium and iodine. The contribution of iodine is important, since unlike other minerals. this is difficult to find according to which diets and is vital for the proper functioning of the thyroid.
In gastronomy
The salmon in gastronomy it is very versatile and is part of many recipes simple to perform. It can be made in the grilled, steamed, baked, stewed or just raw in the form of tataki, sushi or sashimi. It is important to note that, due to a high level of fat, it is advisable not to fry it, since this increase in fat does not benefit.
You can explore countless recipes from our kitchen or international cuisine that are perfect to enjoy a exquisite salmon. Now you know why this fish is so loved in Spain. Consume relatively frequently so that it does not pose a problem to your pocket, since its price is high!
