Oncorhynchus kisutch

ALSO KNOWN AS Silver salmon, Hoopid salmon, White salmon

Coho salmon meat has a delicate flavour. Their meat is usually pinker than chum but paler than king or sockeye. Reddish-orange coho meat is moderately fatty, oily, and flaky. Wild coho meat appears soft but becomes firm when cooked. It is low in sodium, a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, and a very good source of protein, niacin, vitamin B12, and selenium.

Cohos have dark metallic-blue or green backs with silver sides and a light belly. They are commonly called “silver salmon” due to their shiny colouration. While in the ocean, their backs and upper lobe of the tail develop small black spots. They are distinguished from other species by their white gums. In freshwater, spawning coho are dark with reddish-maroon colouration on their sides. Spawning males develop a strongly hooked snout and large teeth, which females lack. Adults generally weigh 8 to 12 pounds and are 24 to 30 inches long.

In North America, cohos are most abundant in coastal areas from southeast Alaska to central Oregon. Along with coastal streams and rivers, coho salmon have been introduced in all the Great lakes, as well as many landlocked reservoirs throughout the U.S. However, coho are mainly harvested by commercial trollers in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Troll vessels catch cohos by “trolling” their lines with bait or lures through groups of feeding fish. The troll fishery produces low-volume, high-quality product.

They are also harvested by seine and gillnet equipment, both as a target stock and as bycatch while targeting other species of salmon. Cohos are a favourite catch of recreational fishermen due to their reputation as spectacular fighters and acrobats once hooked.

Coldfish’s cohos are available fresh or frozen, dressed head on/head off, and as fillets and portions.