Arctic Char
Established in 1995 at Kirkjubaejarklaustur in Iceland, Klausturbleikja is a leading aqua-cultural producer of Arctic Char. The unique aspect of Klaustur Char is that it’s raised and harvested in a free flowing spring water source.
The Char is a member of the Salmon family (Salmonidae) and found in Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Alaska and Canada. It is purely a fresh water fish and enjoys cold, oxygen rich streams and lakes, or sea water mixed with fresh water. Under these cold conditions the Char grows slower than other Salmon family members. Slow growth generates lean firm flesh which makes it excellent for human consumption. Char has been a favorite of Icelanders for centuries.
The Klaustur Char is farmed in a free flowing stream which is as close to the Char’s natural environment as possible. The fresh water stream comes from a natural spring so the Char is always swimming in clean and oxygen rich water. The feed is of the highest quality to maintain a steady growth at the low temperatures. The feed is quality Capelin fishmeal, Soy protein, wheat, vitamins, Omega 3 fatty acids, and mineral supplements.
The harvesting size of Klaustur Char is between 600g and 1000g. It’s sold fresh, smoked or cured. A single fillet weighs from 150g to 300g. The Char can be vacuum packed fresh for storage at 0-4°C for up to seven days. Smoked Char in vacuum packs stay fresh for up to 4 weeks.
General Information about the Arctic Char
Arctic char can be found all over Iceland and is most likely the most common salmonid species. The Arctic char is closely related to both salmon and lake trout, and has many characteristics of both. However, Arctic char differs from salmon in many regards. For example it is much smaller, the seagoing stocks are usually 14 to 18 inches, but freshwater stocks are of various sizes, usually smaller. The largest Arctic char measured in Icelandic waters was 34.5 inches and weighed 22 pounds.
The Arctic char is almost a pure Arctic fish. It is one of the northernmost living fishes in the world and is found all around the Arctic. The Arctic char is found in lakes all around Iceland. The fish is highly variable in color, depending on the time of year and the environmental conditions of the lake it lives in. The flesh color can range from a bright red to a pale pink.