Savour the Flavour: Norwegian Salmon is a Seafood Sensation
Exploring the mega trend's story
The Arniston hotel overlooks the quaint fishing harbour of the little hamlet that gives the hotel its name. Fishing is the primary reason this little hamlet exists, wedged on the southern most tip of the African continent. It is difficult to imagine a place further away from the Nordcapp than the very Southern Cape.
And yet, here I was wanting to enjoy some fresh local seafood and what do they offer me on the menu? - Sushi with Norwegian salmon or grilled Norwegian salmon, despite us being at the on the continents best fishing grounds where warm water from the Indian Ocean Agulhas current meets the cold Benguela current of the Atlantic.
When I mentioned the irony of the situation to the hotel staff, they couldn’t see the disconnect. Fresh fish and chips would have to wait for another day but it did make me wonder of the incredible success story the Norwegians have accomplished to get the world to eat their farmed salmon.
In fact, more than 31 million Norwegian seafood meals are consumed in 140 countries every day.
The annual International Seafood Consumer Insight Study surveyed what fish and seafood people prefer on weekdays, weekends and in restaurants and salmon comes out tops. No other seafood or fish species comes close, making salmon the most preferred seafood option in the world across all markets.
Although Noway has been exporting seafood for centuries, salmon exports are relatively new. It was in the 1970’s when Norway first successfully started farming salmon. Atlantic salmon from 40 Norwegian rivers were collected for diverse brood stock and bred for ocean aquaculture. What began as Salmo Salar (Atlantic Salmon) could now be considered Salmo Domesticus.
The fish are fed a diet of non-gene modified (GMO) feed to ensure they thrive. Their diet is granulated feed and interestingly, the dry feed is 70% plant based with the remaining 30% comprising of fishmeal and fish oil. This carefully controlled diet ensures that Norwegian salmon has been approved for raw consumption without prior freezing. And this makes it a perfect accompaniment for sushi.
It was in the late 80’s, just a sushi started becoming a global trend, that a Norwegian delegation flew to Japan with the intention of introducing the Japanese to Norwegian Salmon for use in sushi as the local Coho salmon found in Japan needs to be cooked before eating. It was a perfect match that helped propel both cultures globally. Salmon has become the most preferred sushi topping according to the Seafood Consumer Insight Study.
Salmon are one of the best available sources of Omega-3 fats as well as many other essential nutrients such as vitamin A, B and D, potassium and selenium.
But its not all sunshine and salmon roses. Salmon are primarily farmed in open net pens along the coast and in fjords, where escapees are common. The farmed fish spread disease, interbreed with wild salmon, and ultimately contribute to the sharp decline in Norwegian wild salmon populations.
This negative environmental side effect of farmed aquaculture has led to more farms becoming land based and more resources allocated into trying to solve the negative environmental impact.
Salmon is rather unique as it tastes great grilled, fried or even raw but my favourite is freshly hot smoked salmon on beech wood.
