Some Fun Facts about Salmon!
What's the difference between Atlantic and Pacific Salmon?
The Atlantic salmon is actually one species within the genus Salmo. There are seven different species of Pacific salmon, which belong to the genus Oncorhynchus.
Atlantic salmon generally don't live long after spawning but are capable of surviving and spawning again. Most Pacific salmon die shortly after spawning, with the exception of steelhead.
Where do Atlantic salmon live?
Atlantic salmon used to be found from Long Island Sound to New England, but those populations no longer exist in these rivers. Currently U.S. Atlantic salmon are only found in a handful of rivers in Maine.
Why do salmon go to sea?
Atlantic salmon go to sea to grow. The energy content and abundance of food in the ocean is much higher than in freshwater, so fish are able to grow very big, very quickly. This is important because larger fish are less likely to be eaten and the females have more eggs. A lot of eggs are needed to produce enough juveniles that will grow to maturity and return to spawn and sustain the population.
When do Atlantic salmon migrate to the ocean?
Young Atlantic salmon (called "smolts") migrate to sea every year in the spring. The “smolt run” in the Gulf of Maine begins in the middle of April and is over by the beginning of June. Due to regional climate impacts, the smolt run is starting earlier than in the past. The run begins later at northern latitudes.
How old are Atlantic salmon when they migrate from freshwater to the ocean?
Atlantic salmon smolt are usually 2-3 years old when they begin their migration in U.S. waters, but migrating smolt are often older at higher latitudes.
Where do Atlantic salmon go in the ocean?
North American Atlantic salmon migrate in the spring from the rivers where they were born. They move into the Labrador Sea for their first summer, autumn, and winter. The following spring they move to the coastal waters of Labrador and the Canadian Arctic, West Greenland, and sometimes to the waters of East Greenland. After a second winter at sea, adults from many populations are large and mature enough to spawn, and they migrate back to freshwater areas to reproduce.
