For the last few days, we have been able to see the commercial trollers going back and forth just outside of our bay. The coho salmon are running, and fishers are putting in long hours harvesting the fish. Over six million coho salmon are harvested from the North Pacific each year. About 3/4 of the harvest is by US fishers, with Russian fishers harvesting the remaining 1/4. Alaskan fishers catch the highest numbers of coho salmon. Gill nets, seine fishing, and trolling catch cohos. They are also favorites of sport fishers. They give up a great fight when caught on light tackle. Fly fishers prize cohos caught in both salt and fresh water.

The commercial boats are fishing close to our bay because coho salmon school in shallow water. Just before entering the freshwater streams, the fish become very aggressive, chasing bait and lures. Those traits also make the coho a popular fish for sport fishers. Cohos average between 7 and 11 pounds, but there are occasional fish that are much bigger. A mature coho can reach up to 35 pounds. A fish bigger than 30 pounds of fly tackle is an exhausting battle for the fisher.

Salmon have been the primary food source for Coast Salish people since time immemorial. During the runs, they catch and dry the fish to preserve them for later use. Salmon were so important to the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest that they agreed to treaties ceding their land in exchange for maintaining their fishing rights. Because of the traditions of indigenous fishers and their hard-fought battles to maintain their rights, we try to purchase all of our salmon and other fish from the Lummi tribal market, which is close to our home.

Humans, however, are not the only ones who feast on salmon. Seeing the trollers in the outer bay, I keep my eyes peeled for the eagles in the inner bay. They will often perch in a treetop near the water or occasionally on a post sticking up in the water. An eagle will make a dive from flight when it sees the silver of the fish flash in the sunlight. Seeing one catch a fish is a dramatic and awe-inspiring joy.

The southern resident orca pods also survive on salmon. While some pods of orcas eat other marine mammals, the southern resident pods are fish eaters. They have been in decline since the settlement. Dams on the rivers have prevented salmon from reaching their spawning grounds and decreased their population. Fishing by humans has further reduced the salmon population. Pollution has also contributed to the decline in the number of salmon. When the population of salmon decreases, so does the population of orcas. Only 74 southern resident orcas remain, according to the latest count by the Center for Whale Research. Compared with the pods of Biggs orcas that eat seals and other marine mammals, the southern residents produce very few calves and have a high rate of infant mortality. Fewer calves and higher mortality are signs of poor health of mothers. When mothers don’t get enough food, fewer calves survive. As the pods decrease in numbers, inbreeding occurs, which also contributes to poor health for calves.

One of the ways of distinguishing a tourist from a local in our part of the world is to have a conversation about salmon. When we lived away from the coast, I would occasionally purchase frozen salmon. Other times, fresh salmon would also be available at a higher price. For a very short time, when we were living in Idaho, Albertsons Grocery stores offered salmon at a loss as part of a competition aimed at Fred Meyer's stores. My taste for salmon went up at that time.

Here, however, distinction is made between the different kinds of salmon. Pinks are the most common and among the smallest of Pacific salmon. People catch them by fishing from the banks of local rivers and streams. Chums are also smaller fish, sometimes called “dog salmon” or “keta salmon.” Chums have pale flesh compared to other species. Sockeyes have the reddest coloring and the most vibrant flavor. Coho salmon, also known as “silvers,” have a more delicate texture. The largest salmon, Chinook, also known as “king,” is probably the fattiest of all salmon and has a rich flavor. Then, if you want to get technical, you can occasionally find someone around here who might call steelheads salmon. They aren’t. Steelheads are an ocean-going trout. The comparison sticks because their lifecycle is similar to that of a salmon. They are born in fresh water, grow to adulthood in saltwater, and return to fresh water to spawn three or four years later. Some cutthroat also have ocean-going lifecycles. If you ask a local how many types of salmon there are, you might get either 5 or 6 as your answer.

Despite the preference of many people who live in the area, I generally do not purchase king salmon, preferring coho. Kings are the preferred food of the resident orca pods. I know that my consumption does not affect the number or types of fish harvested. The fishery is tightly controlled, with treaties and regulations governing the amount of harvest for human consumption. Still, I can enjoy a nutritious and tasty meal of salmon without feeling like I’m competing with a struggling mother orca who is nutritionally deprived.

One of the indulgences of this stage of my life is smoked salmon. It is a wonderful treat, and I often have a bit of it on hand for lunches and snacking. I get mine from the Lummi fish market, processed the traditional way over a cedar fire. Although I am an immigrant and a newcomer to this part of the world, I am connecting with the people who have long made their homes here through their gracious sharing of traditional food. I’m even becoming a bit of a snob by choosing what kind of salmon I’m enjoying.