Is Frozen-at-Sea as Quality as Fresh? YES!
We’ve all heard the old cliche that “fresh is best”. But if you’ve ever been in the fresh versus frozen debate with a local salmon fisherman or fishmonger, you’ll know that there is not really much of a debate at all, both have their advantages!
Many BC skippers and deckhands will tell you that they would be just as happy to eat a piece of frozen-at-sea salmon since they know it was frozen within minutes of being caught. With the proper processing and equipment, the quality of the salmon is frozen in time, no pun intended. In other words, the pristine freshness, taste, and nutritional value does not degrade.
Stored properly, frozen salmon will keep for at least 6 months or even up to a year, as long as it’s not re-frozen after thawing. Beyond the comparable quality of fresh versus frozen-at-sea, there are a number of reasons why frozen is being chosen:
As technologies have advanced, freezing extends the seasonality of salmon by spreading availability throughout the year. So in the depths of winter when the wild salmon return is many months away, you can still satisfy your craving.
Unlike many imported seafood products in the grocery store freezer, wild and frozen-at-sea BC salmon has not had to travel thousands of kilometres to reach your plate. With all of the pandemic-related disruptions in our food supply chain, it’s great to have a local option.
Fishing boats equipped with freezers are able to stay out for longer trips instead of having to return to port every few days to deliver. This is really helpful because in many cases, fishing grounds are a whole day or more away from the nearest fish processing plant.
Always make sure to ask where your seafood is from and how it was harvested. The icing on the cake is if your fishmonger or grocery store clerk can tell you the fish harvester who caught it!
Article and photos by Chelsey Ellis