Arctic Char

Summary

Arctic char is also known as common char. Trout, salmon, and char species are all related. Arctic Char is very closely associated with bull trout and is difficult to visually distinguish. They live mainly in far northern parts of Alberta, into Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Alaska. The Bow River is home to brook trout and bull trout. Other popular and well-known spots are along the Crowsnest River, Oldman River, Berland River, and Ram River. The daily 2021 catch limit for brook trout is 5 total.

Char is anadromous, meaning they migrate from fresh water to salt water where they pass the majority of their lives, then return back to freshwater to spawn. The flesh of char looks like that of salmon but with less fat. Compared to trout, char do not have black spots on the sides of their bodies.

Its flesh is coral red and looks like a cross between pacific salmon and rainbow trout.

Arctic char is also farmed in Alberta (and other provinces).

Nutrition

The colder the water, generally the more fat a fish contains. (Omega-3 fatty acids are an excellent type of fat which we should all eat 1-2 times per week.)

History

The tradition and practice of sportfishing was brought over by the European settlers. Of course fishing was already commonplace by native tribes too.

Ways to Cook

Char is a delicious cold-water fish. It is a round fish and therefore has two fillets. There is such thing as giant char but most of what we see in kitchens and fish mongers here is dwarf (weighing from a few hundred grams to around 2kg).

Pair it with similar flavours to pacific salmon and keep it simple to let the natural flavour shine. Try grilling it to release its natural fatty oils, or pan searing it with crispy skin.

Handling

Like almost all fish, take caution when handling the tender fillets as they can be easily bruised and damaged. Skin is very often left on char. It crisps up nicely and is pleasant to eat too since it is not too thick and rubbery.