National Salmon Day

Pacific and Atlantic salmon differ notably in their life cycles; Pacific salmon die shortly after their first spawning event, whereas Atlantic salmon have the ability to survive and spawn multiple times throughout their lives. Norwegian Atlantic salmon, before appearing in U.S. supermarkets, undergo a complex and lengthy journey. They are often initially frozen, then shipped through major European ports such as Rotterdam in the Netherlands or Hamburg in Germany. From there, the salmon are processed in China, where they may be refrozen before being shipped again to the United States, resulting in a total time span of about two months between the fish being caught and arriving fresh on American shelves. Interestingly, "Salmon" is also a relatively common surname in the U.S., shared by 11,231 people according to data from whitepages.com. When it comes to seafood popularity in American restaurants, salmon and shrimp consistently rank among the top choices. Notably, shrimp overtook canned tuna as the nation’s favorite seafood in 2001, reflecting changing consumer preferences. Several U.S. states have also formally recognized salmon through official designations: Maine named the Landlocked Salmon as its state fish in 1969, while Oregon honors the Chinook salmon, reflecting its cultural and ecological significance in the region. The largest Chinook salmon ever caught on rod and reel weighed an astonishing 97 pounds and was landed in Alaska on May 17, 1985, marking a remarkable record in sport fishing history.