Thanksgiving. A time for family, food, and far flung travel. After a year of eco consciousness, the carbon emissions of a single flight for the holidays can make up a large portion of your annual footprint. 
After painting the hulls of their boats, buying fishing gear and dreaming of landing their first chinook of the season, Washington salmon fishermen are on the water. The Washington troll chinook fishing season opened on Friday May 1, 2009. All over the state fishmongers are wrapping up chinook fillets for their customers backyard barbeques. Chefs are adding these sustainably caught silver-sided icons of Northwest flavor to their menus as catch of the day.
We are lucky in Washington State to have locally caught chinook less than 120 miles from our dinner plates. Washington troll caught chinook never gets on a plane in the course of its distribution, making it a greener seasonally available seafood option. And when is fresh Washington troll caught chinook available?
The Washington troll chinook season opens May 1st and runs through September 15th or closing when the established 2009 chinook quota is caught, which ever happens first.
There are weekly limits to how many chinook each fisherman can land. This assures that there are plenty of chinook returning to spawn at intervals over the entire summer and into the fall. Two factors that affect the chances of successful salmon spawning are the variables of environment and weather. A heat wave or drought in July might make upstream water to warm for salmon eggs to survive while a cool, wet August may provide the ideal environment for successful spawning. Different salmon stocks return to spawn at different times of year. The Washington troll chinook season that spreads its harvest over many months with weekly catch limits will support a more biologically diverse population of salmon. Biologically diverse populations of salmon have better odds of surviving through variable conditions to complete their life cycles.
Months of research and work by biologists, fishermen and fisheries managers went into determining that chinook could be sustainably caught this year off the coast of Washington and in waters of Oregon to the North of Cape Falcon. Careful monitoring during the fishing season will assure plenty of the returning chinook make it up stream to spawn the next generation of salmon.
The 2009 Washington troll chinook fishing season will also assure that the coastal communities of Washington will have a chance at survival. Historically fishing is crucial to the economic stability of coastal communities. As consumers, we do our part to support fishermen and keep wild salmon sustainable by purchasing Washington troll caught chinook. Buying a Washington troll caught chinook will keep food dollars in our local economy. Eating a locally caught chinook reminds us that we even though we live in an urban environment, we are part of the ecosystem that these incredible animals will be swimming through on their way to spawn.
It has been stated that if you want to save something, you first have to truly appreciate it. This weekend buy a Washington troll caught chinook, savor the rich flavor with friends and family while you appreciate the delicate balance of our urban lives and the lifecycle of wild salmon. You will both save future generations of fish and support local fishermen in one delicious action.
Amy Grondin has worked since 1993 on boats in the Alaska Salmon industry as a buyer and micro-processor of wild salmon. When not on the water, she contracts as a Sustainable Seafood Consultant and Commercial Fishing Outreach Specialist. A board member of Slow Food Seattle, she advocates for sustainable local food systems and has great concern for the sustainability of ocean resources.
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