I've noticed when I buy steelhead trout (*) that there is a "C" or "D"
on the receipt, but it doesn't appear not at the fish counter or printed
label.

TROUT FLT STEELHEAD "D"

What does the "D" indicate? I'm pretty sure I've seen the "C", too.

I'm guessing it's a size grade, but I'm not sure. I can't find any
standards for fish size/quality grading on the web. Judging by the size
of the fillets, I would guess these are usually 6-8lb fish live weight.

Farming them is somewhat common now, but they're never labeled as to
whether farmed or wild. Do they have to do that as they do with salmon?
I've heard that some landlocked steelhard farms are really just
genetically altered rainbow trout (bred using a extras set of gigantism
genes).

-sw

(*) And unjust name, IMO. Even salmon are jealous of them. On the way
upstream, steelhead just can't stop talking while the salmon are having a
hard enough time just trying to keep up. Then the steelhead says to he
salmon, "What's your problem, girl? You're just going to lay down and
die? Heck, I'm gonna come here again next year!"


-sw

On Mar 1, 10:04 am, Sqwertz > wrote:
> I've noticed when I buy steelhead trout (*) that there is a "C" or "D"
> on the receipt, but it doesn't appear not at the fish counter or printed
> label.
>
> TROUT FLT STEELHEAD "D"
>
> What does the "D" indicate? I'm pretty sure I've seen the "C", too.

Don't know. The steelhead fishing runs on the Deschutes River in
Oregon are called A and B; the B run is later in the year and usually
produces bigger fish, but that's a fry cry from supermarket
labelling.
>
> I'm guessing it's a size grade, but I'm not sure. I can't find any
> standards for fish size/quality grading on the web. Judging by the size
> of the fillets, I would guess these are usually 6-8lb fish live weight.
>
> Farming them is somewhat common now, but they're never labeled as to
> whether farmed or wild. Do they have to do that as they do with salmon?

I've read that most steelhead sold in our markets is farmed in British
Columbia. As far as I know, labelling is not required. The only
steelhead I've eaten has been caught by sport fishermen in the Situk
River (Yakutat AK) and the Deschutes.

> I've heard that some landlocked steelhard farms are really just
> genetically altered rainbow trout (bred using a extras set of gigantism
> genes).

Don't know about that either. Steelhead are a kind of rainbow trout
that migrate to and from the ocean. I guess farmers could try to
increase their numbers by genetic alteration but I don't know why it
would be necessary. Unlike the wild stock in the Situk, many of the
steelhead in the Deschutes come from hatcheries anyway.

It used to be, years ago, that all the fish I ate I had caught
myself. It's a shame nowadays to have to deal with these marketing
questions. -aem

aem wrote:

> On Mar 1, 10:04 am, Sqwertz > wrote:

> > Farming them is somewhat common now, but they're never labeled as to
> > whether farmed or wild. Do they have to do that as they do with
> > salmon?
>
> I've read that most steelhead sold in our markets is farmed in British
> Columbia. As far as I know, labelling is not required. The only
> steelhead I've eaten has been caught by sport fishermen in the Situk
> River (Yakutat AK) and the Deschutes.

The stores here have been marketing them as "steelhead salmon". I
gather that's not too far off.




Brian

--
Day 392 of the "no grouchy usenet posts" project

On Mar 1, 3:17 pm, "Default User" > wrote:
> aem wrote:
> > On Mar 1, 10:04 am, Sqwertz > wrote:
> > > Farming them is somewhat common now, but they're never labeled as to
> > > whether farmed or wild. Do they have to do that as they do with
> > > salmon?
>
> > I've read that most steelhead sold in our markets is farmed in British
> > Columbia. As far as I know, labelling is not required. The only
> > steelhead I've eaten has been caught by sport fishermen in the Situk
> > River (Yakutat AK) and the Deschutes.
>
> The stores here have been marketing them as "steelhead salmon". I
> gather that's not too far off.
>
They are ocean-migrating--anadromous?--like salmon but they're closer
to a trout species. Taste-wise, in between the two, nice firm pinkish
flesh. Renowned to sportsfishermen as great fighters. -aem