Sockeye Salmon
Scientific Name: Oncorhynchus nerka
Alternate Name(s): red salmon, kokanee, blueback salmon
Distribution: western North America from Alaska south through Canada to Washington; northeastern Asia
Habitat: freshwater rivers and lakes, ocean depths up to 130 meters
Life Span: 8 years
Size: length 50-80 centimeters
Weight: 2.5-4 kilograms
Coloring: bright red bodies and green heads (spawning); metallic blue and silver (ocean)
Eyes: round, yellowish
Eggs: each clutch 2000-5000 eggs; round, red-orange color; hatch after 32-42 days
Diet: zooplankton, squid, other fishes, insects
Predator(s): salmon sharks, daggertooth, seals, sea lions, bears
Behavior: migratory
Reproduction: breeding season summer to fall; adults swim upstream to mate and lay eggs and may take more than one mate
Conservation Status: least concern (IUCN 3.1); population stable
Major Threats: stock fishing, changing river and ocean conditions due to climate change, construction of artificial spawning habitats
Other Notes: keystone species (biological foundation) of aquatic and coastal ecosystems, providing food to many different animals
Interesting Facts:
Alternate Name(s): red salmon, kokanee, blueback salmon
Distribution: western North America from Alaska south through Canada to Washington; northeastern Asia
Habitat: freshwater rivers and lakes, ocean depths up to 130 meters
Life Span: 8 years
Size: length 50-80 centimeters
Weight: 2.5-4 kilograms
Coloring: bright red bodies and green heads (spawning); metallic blue and silver (ocean)
Eyes: round, yellowish
Eggs: each clutch 2000-5000 eggs; round, red-orange color; hatch after 32-42 days
Diet: zooplankton, squid, other fishes, insects
Predator(s): salmon sharks, daggertooth, seals, sea lions, bears
Behavior: migratory
Reproduction: breeding season summer to fall; adults swim upstream to mate and lay eggs and may take more than one mate
Conservation Status: least concern (IUCN 3.1); population stable
Major Threats: stock fishing, changing river and ocean conditions due to climate change, construction of artificial spawning habitats
Other Notes: keystone species (biological foundation) of aquatic and coastal ecosystems, providing food to many different animals
Interesting Facts:
- Sockeye salmon is a bioindicator species. The health of the salmon population reflects the health of its environment.
- Sockeye salmon "hear" with their lateral lines, which detect vibrations in the water.
- Sockeye salmon meat gets its orange color from the krill the fish eat when they are out in the ocean.