Okay, so they’re not furry; they don’t purr and search and googly-eyed at you and think you’re the best thing that ever walked through the door. They won’t walk with you or sit on your lap or bring you your slippers, but many believe they are intrinsic to life and at the very heart of the ecosystem. Salmon. We are talking about salmon. Remarkable, firm, precious, elemental salmon.
Consider this: There is no mother more dedicated than the female salmon making her way through a raging river rush, leaping through walls of powerful water while eluding the jaws of grizzly bears, deadly diseases, not to mention fish hooks. and the nets, so she can return to the house where she was born to lay her eggs and do whatever she can to make sure the next generation survives. And once that monumental task is complete, she dies. That’s dedicated parenting, don’t you think?
And what about the journey of the young fry after they hatch? Each species has a different juvenile lifestyle, but all involve extensive travel. For example, Chinooks can live up to 7 years, while Cohos spend 1-2 years in fresh water before beginning their journey to the sea. Chum and Pinks, on the other hand, come out shortly after hatching. Imagine yourself as a 2-month-old baby mother, emerging from a safe freshwater nursery and beginning a treacherous journey downriver that ultimately ends up in the mighty salt waters of the ocean…and potentially lunch for everyone along the way.
Oh, and here’s a trick: the intricacies of a salmon’s genetic code insist that they always face upstream toward the current, so when they embark on the incredible journey out to sea, they actually swim tail-first, times for hundreds of miles.
Do you understand why these little geniuses are so admirable?
After spending up to 4 years in the ocean and loading up on nutrients to pass on to their young, salmon use their keen sense of smell to navigate back to where they were born. In fact, they return to the same river of origin where they were born and saw the world for the first time. On that journey, they have to overcome incredible obstacles and avoid predators in a way that would make any running back in the NFL envious.
One of the reasons these amazing creatures survive is that they have been around for a long, long time and have the adaptation. Case in point: Two fishermen found a pile of fossilized salmon in the Skokomish River that is believed to be nearly 1.6 million years old, dating back to the Pleistocene Age. This was at a time when mountains rose, the climate changed dramatically, our coastline migrated, and numerous volcanoes inundated large areas of the region with layers of molten lava, destroying many species of fish. But guess who survived? Yes, if you guessed the salmon, you are absolutely right.
And here’s a little fact: These prehistoric creatures used to weigh up to 1,000 pounds a piece. Imagine fishing that!
The word salmon comes from the Latin word salmo meaning “to jump”. Watching salmon leap acrobatically out of rapids goes a long way to defining what that word is all about. It’s amazing to see. Hey, who doesn’t love a good jump?
Many cultures over the millennia have honored salmon. In Celtic mythology, the salmon is associated with wisdom and venerability. Welsh mythology regards the salmon as the wisest of all creatures. Glasgow Scotland even features a salmon on the city’s coat of arms.
Salmon is central to Native Americans and, in the Pacific Northwest, represents the heart and soul of the ecosystem. According to a Northwest Native Indian legend, salmon were actually people with superhuman abilities and eternal lives. Who can deny that after reading about the trip of a lifetime? Superhuman indeed.
137 different species depend on salmon as part of their diet. There are many mouths to feed. Not only are they nourished in life, but they also make enormous contributions to forests, rivers, and oceans after they die. How? Their nutrient-rich canals become food for a variety of microscopic creatures that ultimately end up being eaten by other salmon. Those same nutrients also nurture the growth of numerous plants and trees along the rivers. Salmon are essential. They are part of the essence of life as we know it, and we need them. I not only want them… I need them… for the community of life to function sustainably.
Why do so many species depend on salmon for food? Well, for starters, they’re extraordinarily healthy and vital superfoods, loaded with nutrients like magnesium, selenium, and vitamins B-12 and B-6. They are rich in Omega 3 essential fatty acids that feed the brain and heart. Have you ever had salmon straight off the grill or cooked on a cedar plank? It melts in your mouth. How about some smoked salmon on a bagel with cream cheese? Salmon soup on a cold winter day? Yuhm-mm…
That’s why we love salmon. Whether it’s because of their amazing life journey, their wonderful contribution to our environment, the way they nourish, or the delicious way they taste, they are simply extraordinary. Seriously, what is not to love?
