Interesting Facts About Sockeye Salmon

Sockeye Salmon, also referred to as red or blueblack salmon, are saltwater fish that breed in freshwater. They are most commonly found in the North Pacific Ocean, but are also spotted in the Alaskan Gulf and the Bering Sea. Smaller than the Coho or Chinook salmon, they range from 5 to17 lbs. in size.

  1. Interesting Life Cycle

    • Like all Pacific salmon, the sockeye are born and bred for the first few years in freshwater, most often in streaming lakes. Most sockeye will stay there for up to 3 to 4 years and then journey out to sea, where they may stay another 1 to 4 years. Once it is time to breed, the salmon migrate to the fresh waters where shortly after breeding, they will die.

    Dangerous Migration

    • Some sockeye will remain in their native freshwater until death, and some will simply die on their journey back to the freshwater from the ocean, either due to the rigorous route (which can be as far as 1,000 miles) or predators such as bears or gulls. The ones who do make it will be returning to the waters in which they were born.

    Distinctive Appearance

    • Sockeye salmon are known for their bright red skin, but they actually remain silverish blue while living in the ocean, hence the name, blueback salmon. However, once they return to fresh waters to spawn, their backs will turn fiery red and their heads, a greenish tone. Ready-to-breed males will also develop a hump in their back as well as a hooked jaw with tiny, visible teeth.

    Diet

    • Unlike the other salmon in their species, the sockeye feed mainly on zooplankton and small shellfish, like krill or tiny shrimp. The orange krill and shrimp give the salmon their distinctive orange colored flesh.

    Benefit to Humans

    • Sockeye salmon are coveted for their bright orange, succulent meat. They are consumed by humans fresh but also frozen and canned. The lack of oceanic fish in their diet also accounts for the low level of mercury in their bodies. The sockeye tend to be the most expensive salmon because of their flavor and flexibility of preparation.