55%
Whole salmon yields 55%
You buy whole salmon by its whole weight, but you only plate 55% of it. That 45% loss is real cost the invoice never shows — here's the math.
Yield is the fraction of an ingredient that actually reaches the plate after you clean, peel, and trim it. What you pay is the AP (as-purchased) price; what it costs on the plate is the EP (edible-portion) price.
On a whole fish, the head, frame, skin, and trim are the loss — a whole fish at a low per-pound price can cost more per plated ounce than a fillet.
Say your invoice shows $7.00 per lb of whole salmon (an example AP price).
At 55% yield, your real cost is $12.73 per lb EP — because $7.00 ÷ 0.55 = $12.73.
AP price is illustrative; the EP figure is computed (AP ÷ yield). Use your real invoice price below.Yield breakdown
| As-purchased (AP) | 100% |
|---|---|
| Edible portion (EP) | 55% |
| Lost to trim | 45% |
Source: CIA Standard Yield Tables.
Common questions
What is the yield of whole salmon?
Whole salmon typically yields 55% edible portion of its as-purchased weight, per the CIA Standard Yield Tables.
How much whole salmon is lost to trim?
About 45% of the as-purchased weight is lost to cleaning, peeling, and trimming before it reaches the plate.
How do you calculate the edible-portion cost of whole salmon?
Divide the as-purchased price by the yield: EP cost = AP price ÷ 0.55. At 55% yield, the trim makes your real plated cost meaningfully higher than the invoice price.
Market readconfidence directional · as of 2026-06-01
Trade-value index — directional only; the NOAA import value runs below delivered wholesale. The market is down -0.7% over the recent window.
Watch. Too new to call — too little history so far. Treat the price as real until a pattern shows.
One pricing methodology backs the level.
Sources · 3
Sourced: CIA Standard Yield Tables, via the Plate Cost Calculator · what yield means · edible portion