How to pan sear salmon without burning the skin?
Salmon's a big deal in my neck of the woods too. Lay the fish skin-side-down (pre-oiled) on a thin piece of foam and poke toothpicks straight through the fillets at regular intervals, (use your judgment), so that each of them comes just barely through the skin. Carefully pick up the fish and lay it into your preheated oil. The points of the toothpicks will separate the skin from the surface of the pan. After a few minutes the skin will have crisped well enough to no longer be at risk of sticking and burning. So for each toothpick press the tines of a fork flat against the fish (with the toothpick in between a pair of tines) and pull the toothpick straight up and out.