Clare Island salmon
Clare Island Salmon
Clare Island salmon is a PGI fish of the species Salmo salar (farmed native Atlantic salmon) from the sea adjacent to Clare Island in outer Clew Bay, Co. Mayo in Ireland.
The salmon has a firm flesh which is low in fat, and its tail and body shape emulate wild salmon, due in each case to the uniquely exposed and pristine conditions in which they are cultivated. Uniquely the salmon are fed a natural organic diet.
Each spring, young salmon smolts are carefully transferred into very large flexible cages moored off Clare Island and cared for every day by the islanders from their own boats for up to two years. They are fed a specially formulated diet, using natural ingredients sources locally and they are protected from storm damage and predation. When the salmon have attained the correct size for the market they are harvested, then brought ashore to the local processing factory. They are then washed, graded, counted and weighted, and packed with ice for transportation.