Sorry for delay, RBark...traveling...
How long do you spend forming pellucite? You mention letting it take 12+ hours in winter, but what about if I'm refrigerating it?
The pellicle forming stage is critical to achieving the finish texture you desire...end it too early and you'll have soft, sticky, more easily crumbled salmon..too late and you'll have what I call 'Pocket Salmon', because you can carry it in your pocket without worrying about crumbling.
I've come to prefer around 6-8 hours with fan blowing on 'Low' setting..that gives me a product that is moist but doesn't fall apart too easily. It's my own personal preference but I no longer pellicle without a fan, so that precludes, for me, doing pellicle forming in the non-ventilating reefer..