Five colorfully pink Chinook Salmon swim upstream over pebbles and rocks to spawn in Alaska.
How many species of salmon are there and how large can they get?
There are seven species of Pacific salmon. Five of them occur in North American waters: chinook, coho, chum, sockeye, and pink. Masu and amago salmon occur only in Asia. There is one species of Atlantic salmon.
Chinook/King salmon are the largest salmon and get up to 58 inches (1.5 meters) long and 126 pounds (57.2 kg). Pink salmon are the smallest at up to 30 inches (0.8 meters) long and 12 pounds (5.4 kg), although they average 3 to 5 pounds (1.3-2.3 kg).
Note: Steelhead trout are often listed as an eighth Pacific salmon, but unlike other Pacific salmon, they are capable of repeat spawning and do not die after spawning. It has been suggested that they be grouped with other fish as 'Pacific Trout.'
Learn more: Western Fisheries Research Center - Questions and Answers about Salmon
Related
Are salmon endangered worldwide? Are salmon endangered worldwide?
No, salmon are not endangered worldwide. For example, most populations in Alaska are healthy. Some populations in the Pacific Northwest are much healthier than others. These healthy populations usually occupy protected habitats such as the Hanford Reach on the Columbia River and streams of Olympic National Park. Learn more: Western Fisheries Research Center - Questions and Answers about Salmon
How do salmon know where their home is when they return from the ocean? How do salmon know where their home is when they return from the ocean?
Salmon come back to the stream where they were 'born' because they 'know' it is a good place to spawn; they won't waste time looking for a stream with good habitat and other salmon. Scientists believe that salmon navigate by using the earth’s magnetic field like a compass. When they find the river they came from, they start using smell to find their way back to their home stream. They build their...
How far do salmon travel? How far do salmon travel?
Salmon first travel from their home stream to the ocean, which can be a distance of hundreds of miles. Once they reach the ocean, they might travel an additional 1,000 miles to reach their feeding grounds. Learn more: Western Fisheries Research Center - Questions and Answers about Salmon
How long do salmon usually live? How long do salmon usually live?
Most salmon species live 2 to 7 years (4 to 5 average). Steelhead trout can live up to about 11 years. Learn more: Western Fisheries Research Center - Questions and Answers about Salmon
When can salmon be seen migrating to their spawning area? When can salmon be seen migrating to their spawning area?
Most Pacific salmon can be seen migrating from spring though fall, depending on the species. Most adult Atlantic salmon migrate up the rivers of New England beginning in spring and continuing through the fall as well, with the migration peaking in June. Learn more: Western Fisheries Research Center - Questions and Answers about Salmon
Where are salmon most endangered? Where are salmon most endangered?
Certain populations of sockeye salmon, coho salmon, chinook salmon, and Atlantic salmon are listed as endangered. Sockeye salmon from the Snake River system are probably the most endangered salmon. Coho salmon in the lower Columbia River may already be extinct. Salmon are not endangered worldwide. For example, most populations in Alaska are healthy. Some populations in the Pacific Northwest are...
Why are there so few salmon left? Why are there so few salmon left?
There are many reasons for the decline in salmon populations. Logging an area around a stream reduces the shade and nutrients available to the stream and increases the amount of silt or dirt in the water, which can choke out developing eggs. Dams cause fish to die from the shock of going through the turbines and from predators that eat the disoriented fish as they emerge from the dam. Overfishing...
Why do salmon change color and die after they spawn? Why do salmon change color and die after they spawn?
Salmon change color to attract a spawning mate. Pacific salmon use all their energy for returning to their home stream, for making eggs, and digging the nest. Most of them stop eating when they return to freshwater and have no energy left for a return trip to the ocean after spawning. After they die, other animals eat them (but people don't) or they decompose, adding nutrients to the stream...
Why do salmon eggs come in different colors? Why do salmon eggs come in different colors?
Salmon eggs (roe) range in color from pale yellowish-orange to dark reddish-orange. The color varies both by species and within species and is determined by water temperature, sediment composition, age, and other factors. The eggs vary in size from the tiny sockeye roe (average ¼ inch or 5.6 mm) to the large chum roe (average almost ½ inch or 8.3 mm). Also, if a salmon egg does not get fertilized...
Where can I find fish consumption advisories for my state? Where can I find fish consumption advisories for my state?
Most states have set fish (and wildlife) consumption advisories and recommended consumption levels. The state agency responsible for these limits varies. Examples of consumption advisory information can be found at the Environmental Protection Agency's Fish and Shellfish Advisories and Safe Eating Guidelines website.
What is the largest freshwater fish? What is the largest freshwater fish?
Sturgeon are the largest of the freshwater fish. The beluga sturgeon in Russia is the largest freshwater fish in the world. The white sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in North America. White sturgeon have been reported to reach lengths of 15-20 feet and weights of nearly one ton. The second largest freshwater fish in North America is the alligator gar.
usfws-chinook-salmon-alaska-hagerty.jpg
Five colorfully pink Chinook Salmon swim upstream over pebbles and rocks to spawn in Alaska.
PubTalk-10/2021: Zombie Salmon and Ghost Moose
Zombie Salmon and Ghost Moose - The Spooky Implications of Climate Change
By Laura Thompson & Abigail Lynch, USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center
Zombie Salmon and Ghost Moose - The Spooky Implications of Climate Change
By Laura Thompson & Abigail Lynch, USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center
Juvenile sockeye salmon, Alaska
Juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) captured in Lake Clark National Park as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.
Juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) captured in Lake Clark National Park as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.
Spawning Yukon River Chinook salmon
A spawning Yukon River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) captured near Pilot Station, Alaska, in June 2018 as part of an experimental temperature manipulation study to validate heat stress biomarkers.
A spawning Yukon River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) captured near Pilot Station, Alaska, in June 2018 as part of an experimental temperature manipulation study to validate heat stress biomarkers.
Chinook Salmon Released into Yukon River, AK
Chinook salmon released into Yukon River in Alaska, USA.
Chinook salmon released into Yukon River in Alaska, USA.
USGS Salmon Disease Research
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Fisheries Research Center in Seattle, Washington is a state-of-the-art laboratory operating on the cutting edge of fish science. Work at the lab falls into three broad categories, ecosystem studies, studies of invasive species, and studies of disease in fish.
By
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Fisheries Research Center in Seattle, Washington is a state-of-the-art laboratory operating on the cutting edge of fish science. Work at the lab falls into three broad categories, ecosystem studies, studies of invasive species, and studies of disease in fish.
By
Stocking young Atlantic salmon in St. Lawrence River system
Thousands of young Atlantic salmon are released into the St. Regis River system (a tributary of the St. Lawrence River) in an effort to restore this diminished Lake Ontario fish population. The salmon were reared at the USGS Tunison Laboratory in Cortland, N.Y., and are released by USGS scientists and members of the Mohawk Tribe.
Thousands of young Atlantic salmon are released into the St. Regis River system (a tributary of the St. Lawrence River) in an effort to restore this diminished Lake Ontario fish population. The salmon were reared at the USGS Tunison Laboratory in Cortland, N.Y., and are released by USGS scientists and members of the Mohawk Tribe.
Young Atlantic Salmon Reared at the USGS Tunison Lab in Cortland, N.Y.
Thousands of young Atlantic salmon are being released into Salmon River in an effort to restore this diminished Lake Ontario fish population, extending the sport fishing season by at least two months in Oswego County, N.Y.
Thousands of young Atlantic salmon are being released into Salmon River in an effort to restore this diminished Lake Ontario fish population, extending the sport fishing season by at least two months in Oswego County, N.Y.
Sockeye salmon spawning in the Grand Central River, Alaska
Sockeye salmon spawning in the Grand Central River, on the Seward Peninsula near Salmon Lake, Alaska.
Sockeye salmon spawning in the Grand Central River, on the Seward Peninsula near Salmon Lake, Alaska.
Releasing a Radio-Tagged Adult Chinook
After gastric tagging the adult Chinook, it was released back into the Klickitat River.
After gastric tagging the adult Chinook, it was released back into the Klickitat River.
Related
Are salmon endangered worldwide? Are salmon endangered worldwide?
No, salmon are not endangered worldwide. For example, most populations in Alaska are healthy. Some populations in the Pacific Northwest are much healthier than others. These healthy populations usually occupy protected habitats such as the Hanford Reach on the Columbia River and streams of Olympic National Park. Learn more: Western Fisheries Research Center - Questions and Answers about Salmon
How do salmon know where their home is when they return from the ocean? How do salmon know where their home is when they return from the ocean?
Salmon come back to the stream where they were 'born' because they 'know' it is a good place to spawn; they won't waste time looking for a stream with good habitat and other salmon. Scientists believe that salmon navigate by using the earth’s magnetic field like a compass. When they find the river they came from, they start using smell to find their way back to their home stream. They build their...
How far do salmon travel? How far do salmon travel?
Salmon first travel from their home stream to the ocean, which can be a distance of hundreds of miles. Once they reach the ocean, they might travel an additional 1,000 miles to reach their feeding grounds. Learn more: Western Fisheries Research Center - Questions and Answers about Salmon
How long do salmon usually live? How long do salmon usually live?
Most salmon species live 2 to 7 years (4 to 5 average). Steelhead trout can live up to about 11 years. Learn more: Western Fisheries Research Center - Questions and Answers about Salmon
When can salmon be seen migrating to their spawning area? When can salmon be seen migrating to their spawning area?
Most Pacific salmon can be seen migrating from spring though fall, depending on the species. Most adult Atlantic salmon migrate up the rivers of New England beginning in spring and continuing through the fall as well, with the migration peaking in June. Learn more: Western Fisheries Research Center - Questions and Answers about Salmon
Where are salmon most endangered? Where are salmon most endangered?
Certain populations of sockeye salmon, coho salmon, chinook salmon, and Atlantic salmon are listed as endangered. Sockeye salmon from the Snake River system are probably the most endangered salmon. Coho salmon in the lower Columbia River may already be extinct. Salmon are not endangered worldwide. For example, most populations in Alaska are healthy. Some populations in the Pacific Northwest are...
Why are there so few salmon left? Why are there so few salmon left?
There are many reasons for the decline in salmon populations. Logging an area around a stream reduces the shade and nutrients available to the stream and increases the amount of silt or dirt in the water, which can choke out developing eggs. Dams cause fish to die from the shock of going through the turbines and from predators that eat the disoriented fish as they emerge from the dam. Overfishing...
Why do salmon change color and die after they spawn? Why do salmon change color and die after they spawn?
Salmon change color to attract a spawning mate. Pacific salmon use all their energy for returning to their home stream, for making eggs, and digging the nest. Most of them stop eating when they return to freshwater and have no energy left for a return trip to the ocean after spawning. After they die, other animals eat them (but people don't) or they decompose, adding nutrients to the stream...
Why do salmon eggs come in different colors? Why do salmon eggs come in different colors?
Salmon eggs (roe) range in color from pale yellowish-orange to dark reddish-orange. The color varies both by species and within species and is determined by water temperature, sediment composition, age, and other factors. The eggs vary in size from the tiny sockeye roe (average ¼ inch or 5.6 mm) to the large chum roe (average almost ½ inch or 8.3 mm). Also, if a salmon egg does not get fertilized...
Where can I find fish consumption advisories for my state? Where can I find fish consumption advisories for my state?
Most states have set fish (and wildlife) consumption advisories and recommended consumption levels. The state agency responsible for these limits varies. Examples of consumption advisory information can be found at the Environmental Protection Agency's Fish and Shellfish Advisories and Safe Eating Guidelines website.
What is the largest freshwater fish? What is the largest freshwater fish?
Sturgeon are the largest of the freshwater fish. The beluga sturgeon in Russia is the largest freshwater fish in the world. The white sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in North America. White sturgeon have been reported to reach lengths of 15-20 feet and weights of nearly one ton. The second largest freshwater fish in North America is the alligator gar.
usfws-chinook-salmon-alaska-hagerty.jpg
Five colorfully pink Chinook Salmon swim upstream over pebbles and rocks to spawn in Alaska.
Five colorfully pink Chinook Salmon swim upstream over pebbles and rocks to spawn in Alaska.
PubTalk-10/2021: Zombie Salmon and Ghost Moose
Zombie Salmon and Ghost Moose - The Spooky Implications of Climate Change
By Laura Thompson & Abigail Lynch, USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center
Zombie Salmon and Ghost Moose - The Spooky Implications of Climate Change
By Laura Thompson & Abigail Lynch, USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center
Juvenile sockeye salmon, Alaska
Juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) captured in Lake Clark National Park as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.
Juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) captured in Lake Clark National Park as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.
Spawning Yukon River Chinook salmon
A spawning Yukon River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) captured near Pilot Station, Alaska, in June 2018 as part of an experimental temperature manipulation study to validate heat stress biomarkers.
A spawning Yukon River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) captured near Pilot Station, Alaska, in June 2018 as part of an experimental temperature manipulation study to validate heat stress biomarkers.
Chinook Salmon Released into Yukon River, AK
Chinook salmon released into Yukon River in Alaska, USA.
Chinook salmon released into Yukon River in Alaska, USA.
USGS Salmon Disease Research
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Fisheries Research Center in Seattle, Washington is a state-of-the-art laboratory operating on the cutting edge of fish science. Work at the lab falls into three broad categories, ecosystem studies, studies of invasive species, and studies of disease in fish.
By
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Fisheries Research Center in Seattle, Washington is a state-of-the-art laboratory operating on the cutting edge of fish science. Work at the lab falls into three broad categories, ecosystem studies, studies of invasive species, and studies of disease in fish.
By
Stocking young Atlantic salmon in St. Lawrence River system
Thousands of young Atlantic salmon are released into the St. Regis River system (a tributary of the St. Lawrence River) in an effort to restore this diminished Lake Ontario fish population. The salmon were reared at the USGS Tunison Laboratory in Cortland, N.Y., and are released by USGS scientists and members of the Mohawk Tribe.
Thousands of young Atlantic salmon are released into the St. Regis River system (a tributary of the St. Lawrence River) in an effort to restore this diminished Lake Ontario fish population. The salmon were reared at the USGS Tunison Laboratory in Cortland, N.Y., and are released by USGS scientists and members of the Mohawk Tribe.
Young Atlantic Salmon Reared at the USGS Tunison Lab in Cortland, N.Y.
Thousands of young Atlantic salmon are being released into Salmon River in an effort to restore this diminished Lake Ontario fish population, extending the sport fishing season by at least two months in Oswego County, N.Y.
Thousands of young Atlantic salmon are being released into Salmon River in an effort to restore this diminished Lake Ontario fish population, extending the sport fishing season by at least two months in Oswego County, N.Y.
Sockeye salmon spawning in the Grand Central River, Alaska
Sockeye salmon spawning in the Grand Central River, on the Seward Peninsula near Salmon Lake, Alaska.
Sockeye salmon spawning in the Grand Central River, on the Seward Peninsula near Salmon Lake, Alaska.
Releasing a Radio-Tagged Adult Chinook
After gastric tagging the adult Chinook, it was released back into the Klickitat River.
After gastric tagging the adult Chinook, it was released back into the Klickitat River.
Updated Date: May 28, 2025