Pacific Salmon
Pacific salmon are in the genus Oncorhynchus, which contains several individual species Chinook, Coho, and Steelhead are probably the most popular. Unlike the Atlantic salmon, Pacific salmon only spawn once before they die. These salmon may swim hundreds, even thousands, of miles to get back to the stream where they hatched. However, only a small percentage of salmon survive to reach their natural stream or spawning grounds. It has been estimated that today around 80% for the juvenile salmon or smolt as they are called will never survive their trip to the ocean. In the Northwest salmon normally have seasons from spring through fall this season depend entirely on the expected return numbers today.
Pacific salmon connect headwaters to the high seas, from Japan to California. The larges of these salmon are known as Chinook or King Salmon, they average 10 to 20 pounds in size, but 30 to 50 pounds is not unusual and there are occasions where they will reach nearly 100 pounds. Pacific salmon are represented by seven different species, these seven salmon species have life histories that are unique, multifaceted and vary widely within and between species.
Dams have stopped many runs from having access to the oceans where they once traveled. These areas which are scattered throughout the northwest now have what are called landlocked salmon since they mature for three years in freshwater and return to the river to spawn and die.
Pacific salmon is also farmed, but due to political reasons on a very small scale over all.
Managing salmon in the Pacific Northwest is a complex endeavor, bringing up a wide range of political, economic, legal and social issues. The cultural issues of salmon management shouldn’t be overlooked, as salmon fishing has been and continues to be a way of life for many families throughout the west. Managers need to know where their stocks move, how long they stay in different areas, and how ocean conditions affect growth and mortality. The eventual expansion of pilot studies into a full out program to reintroduce salmon back into river systems, combined with archival tagging studies, will allow scientists and managers to monitor salmon movements and habitat usage along coastal North America, from California to the Aleutian Islands, year-round. Knowing when and how salmon move, feed, and migrate will be the key to their survival if we are going to save these magnificent and mystical fish.
Tags: chinook salmon, Pacific salmon, salmon runs