Arctic Charr (Salvelinus alpinus)

The Arctic Charr or Salvelinus alpinus not only has the ability to survive in both freshwater and saltwater, but it also can survive EXTREME cold.  Living farther north then any other known fish, these edible fish are native to the Arctic and Sub-Arctic areas.  They have also been reported in deep, cold glacial lakes in Scotland, Iceland and even Siberia, where they are known as Golets. Other names including Charr, Blueback Trout, Ilkalupik, Martson Trout, Quebec Red Trout, Silver Trout, Sunapee Trout, and White Trout.  They can weigh in at about 20lbs maximum. 

Arctic Charr are part of the Salmon and Trout family Salmonidae sharing a lot of the same characteristics. They are usually dark with a lighter belly. Their tail's are forked, and during spawning these fish will become brightly colored. Turning pink or orange on their bellies, with blue or brown backs. Their fins will also be brightly colored during the spawning process.

Arctic Charr are commercially farmed and easily caught in the wild as well. Once caught or bought it at the store, you will find out that the Arctic Charr has a delicious flavor. The Monterey Bay Aquarium "Seafood Watch" program has recently added farmed Arctic char as an environmentally sustainable Best Choice for consumers, stating: "Arctic char use only a moderate amount of marine resources for feed. In addition, Arctic char are farmed in land-based, closed systems that minimize the risk of escape into the wild."  You can watch some Arctic Charr underwater below in the video.


If you have any additional information about the Arctic Charr that you would like to share please leave us a comment below...

Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

Coho Salmon or Oncorhynchus kisutch start out their lives in freshwater for about the first year and then switch to saltwater for the next two years, then back to freshwater to spawn and die. Also known as Silver Salmon these fish will also change their color over the course of their lives. While they are in the ocean the Coho Salmon has silver sides with a dark blue top. When they come into freshwater to spawn they normally choose the exact spot in which they were born!

During the spawning process the Coho Salmon doesn't eat anything and turns a bright red with a bluish green head and a dark belly. Their jaws also undergo changes as they become more hooked. Females are normally darker and have an even more pronounced hook than the males of this species of Salmon. After the Coho spawns it dies completing the life cycle that began just three years earlier. To see the Coho Salmon spawning in action check out this short video...

In the beginning of its life the Coho Salmon will feed on plankton and insects. As they become bigger and make their way to the saltwater they begin to eat small fish. Coho Salmon can grow to about 2' (61 cm) in length and can weigh as much as 36lbs (16kg). Due to overfishing in many areas the population of Coho Salmon has dramatically dropped in recent years. The Coho Salmon has always been a favorite fish to eat throughout history in places like Alaska, California, Japan, and Russia. They have more fat in their meat then most other fish, but this only adds to their delicious flavor. If you have any Coho Salmon recipes or fishing tips you would like to share please leave them in the comments below...