What is a salmon fry?

A salmon fry is a newly hatched salmon, usually less than a year old. It's a juvenile stage in the salmon's life cycle.

Here are some key characteristics of a salmon fry:

* Small size: They are typically only a few inches long.

* Distinct markings: They often have dark vertical stripes and spots, called parr marks, which help them camouflage in the water.

* Limited mobility: They are relatively weak swimmers and stay close to the bottom of the stream.

* Diet: They feed on small insects and other invertebrates.

Salmon fry spend their first few months in freshwater streams and rivers. They grow rapidly and develop their ability to swim. Once they reach a certain size, they begin their journey to the ocean, a process called smoltification.

Here are some additional points to remember about salmon fry:

* Survival rate: Only a small percentage of salmon fry survive to adulthood due to predation, disease, and environmental factors.

* Importance: They are a crucial part of the ecosystem, providing food for other fish and animals.

* Conservation: The survival of salmon fry is important for the overall health of salmon populations, and conservation efforts aim to protect them.

So, next time you see a tiny fish with dark stripes in a stream, it might just be a salmon fry starting its amazing journey to the sea!