I'm a little confused on the way the salmon is categorized in the food lists. Alaskan salmon is its own category but then chinook and sockeye are their own as well. Then there's also Atlantic farmed and wild, which I wouldn't touch but...

What if you're eating wild Alaskan chinook and sockeye? I ask because I think my husband is an Explorer and chinook and sockeye are both black dots. Any guesses as to what "Alaskan salmon" means versus the non-regionally identified?

Yep, I'm confused too....  Don't think I've ever seen any salmon labelled as sockeye here, we get wild Alaskan salmon and the usual farmed stuff, but that's all.  Never heard of chinook.

Chinook is also known as king salmon and Sockeye is AKA red (there are also silvers, pinks and chum) but they're still wild Alaskan salmon!

Alaskan salmon can include pink varieties as well as chinook and sockeye. Alaskan is a more generic term. Salmon farming is not allowed in Alaska.

I think Alaskan salmon means it came from those waters which are more pure than others.  There is less chance of Mercury toxicity.

Quoted from http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/special/salmonmngmnt.pdf

In 1990, Alaska outlawed the farming of salmon to
protect strong native stocks from hybridization, disease,
pollution, and competition for food.

The link includes all the state policies, related laws etceteras.

Quoted from RedLilac

I think Alaskan salmon means it came from those waters which are more pure than others.  There is less chance of Mercury toxicity.

My gut feeling is that this commonsense approach is the way to go, in lieu of having the reasons spelt out.
Don also answered a salmon question of mine on genotypediet today with the explanation that sockeye salmon is red.
And I found in the fine print on many of the cans that are available to me that the word Alaskan is hidden there, so I think that putting it all together means that red salmon from a pure ocean is the way to go.

Confusingly whitefish or lavaret in french is also Salmonidae. We get wild lavaret fresh here although it can be pricy. Can be prepared like salmon but the colour of the flesh is pale. Seems to me like tofu with fishbones - bland in itself but bodes well to marinating and is often available as smoked. Those fine bones seem to disappear if cured with salt and spices.

Quoted from kate4975

Chinook is also known as king salmon and Sockeye is AKA red (there are also silvers, pinks and chum) but they're still wild Alaskan salmon!

So if I buy red salmon, can I safely assume that is sockeye and therefore a gatherer superfood?

Although I usually aim to get wild alaskan because of the less polluted waters, it is not listed as superfood for gatherer, only chinook and sockeye.

Sounds like I'm looking for wild alaskan red salmon, then - can find that tinned, but I don't think the fresh/frozen stuff we get is usually labelled as anything other than salmon (maybe wild alaskan if you are lucky, but it doesn't usually mention colour/type).  Hey ho......

I shall still eat it as a neutral, but it would be nice to be able to buy the superfood variety if I could a) find it and b) afford it without a bank loan!!

Quoted from RedLilac

I think Alaskan salmon means it came from those waters which are more pure than others.  There is less chance of Mercury toxicity.

But does that mean that an Explorer can eat Alaskan sockeye and Alaskan chinook without issue? Is any Alaskan salmon okay--just these species from other sources are the black dots?