Copper River salmon is here, it’s expensive & there’s not much to go around

At Wild Salmon Seafood Market at Fisherman’s Terminal, the sound of sizzling as owner Paula Cassidy pan sears salmon filets. But on the much anticipated opening day of Copper River Salmon season, where chefs and fishmongers wake up at the crack of dawn to meet an early morning airplane full of king and sockeyes, this year’s salmon run was more of a fizzle than a sizzle. (Sorry, I had to.)

A plane full of fish did touch down on the tarmac this morning, but Paula said there wasn’t much there.

“Unfortunately the weather conditions went really bad up there on the first opening. So they had unfavorable tides, 25 MPH winds and they didn’t catch much fish. I think they’re down 65% in comparison to last year, which means we’re going to see some high prices and limited availability.”

Which is crazy because when I chatted to Paula yesterday, she was painting a different picture.

“When we talked yesterday morning, both myself and the fisherman were so excited. Fifty degrees, calm seas, beautiful fishing conditions. By the time the boats went out, the tides changed in such a manner that it was unfavorable to the fisherman and it absolutely made fishing extremely difficult for them.”

But there is some salmon, even though several major Seattle seafood restaurants I called couldn’t get their hands on the limited supply. Paula has a long waiting list of excited customers.

“Very first day I probably have over 500. In addition to that we’ll have customers from around the country where we’re shipping it out. We prefer to service our local customers first and put our shipping customers on hold.”

John Howie Restaurants’ Cathy Lalley was out on the tarmac by 5 o’clock this morning. She explains the fish’s appeal.

“The Copper River salmon has a very short run. It’s highly prized for its intense, rich fat and because it’s such a limited season and we’re big salmon lovers here in the northwest, it’s highly prized. It’s very exciting to get it here.”

The season for Copper River is only about 4 to 6 weeks long. And because it’s such a fatty and delicious fish, Paula says to keep it simple.

“The beautiful thing about this salmon is that it stands alone. It really doesn’t need any flavor or additives. Mother nature has already produced a wonderful product for us. A little salt and pepper and a little olive oil, maybe garlic, but it really doesn’t need much else.”

She offers a quick cooking tip.

“The biggest mistake we all make is overcooking the fish. So if you look at your fish, it goes from being very translucent… As soon as it turns opaque and the center is still slightly translucent, it’s time to take it off the fire. After that it’s going to rest and it’s going to continue to cook while it’s resting.”

Paula says the prices are highest today but they’ll start to drop over the next month or so.

“We’ve got our Copper River King in at $28.99 a pound for the whole fish, $39.99 a pound for the filet. With the sockeye, we’re at $19.99 whole and $27.99 a pound for the filet.”

For those of you who aren’t foodophiles or salmon lovers, it’s probably hard to understand what all the hubbub is about.

“It’s kind of a rock star fish,” Cathy said. “It has a big following. People love it. The people who are in the know, when they see it, it’s their Christmas. It’s the foodie Christmas.”