I wrote about the Pink Invasion in the July issue of Seattle Magazine. Truth be told, since that article first appeared I’ve been too busy fishing for pinks to do much blogging. Fishing…and filleting, brining, and smoking. Repeat. My freezer is rapidly accumulating a two-year supply of smoked salmon.
This is a fishery that hardly existed a generation ago in Puget Sound. As such, in this age of general decline, it feels like a special gift. And it’s not too late to get in on the action. Read the article and then check out these tips for smokin’ yer own.
Langdon,
I’m wondering about you and the others on the west coast a lot lately. Are you guys starting to worry about your fishing with the Fukushima disaster likely worse than advertised? It’s hard to separate fact from fiction on the internet, but even the bbc is now reporting Japan has downplayed groundwater contamination concerns and that those waters are flooding the pacific. Do you have friends who are looking into the plankton in your area for any radiation contamination? I simply don’t trust the FDA to keep us properly informed. I’m landlocked here in Tennessee, but the thought that your coast, which I visited for the first time this summer, could be in the early stages of disaster breaks my heart. I’d love to know what you’re hearing and anticipating, and my fingers are crossed that your fishing stays good.
Best,
Andrew Gustin
Andrew, thanks for your concern. Your comment is a reminder that we need to be mindful about where our food comes from. I haven’t looked deeply into this issue, but now that you’ve raised it, I will start asking around among my scientist friends. As you point out, reliable sources can be hard to come by.