Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)
Description
Slender, streamlined fish which can grow quite large. Sea trout can be mistaken for salmon but salmon look longer, sleeker and have a sligtly forked tail with more pointed ends.
Behaviour
The Atlantic salmon is referred to as being anadromous because of its habit of migrating from the sea into fresh waters to spawn. This is the exact opposite of the common eel which leaves fresh waters to spawn in the Sargasso Sea, and is therefore called catadromous.
Size
Size varies considerably according to age. Females tend to be smaller than males. The average length of an adult salmon is anywhere from 50 to 100 cm with a weight range anywhere from 2-10 kg, although some grow to much greater sizes.
Where to see them
Montrose Basin, Spey Bay, Tummel Shingle Islands. Also, more reliably, places such as Loch Faskally dam and fish ladder at Pitlochry.
When to see them
Most visible when travelling up river to spawn. This occurs during the period November-December in Great Britain and Ireland but may extend from October until late February in our larger rivers.
What they eat
Juveniles eat crustaceans and fish. Adults do not feed in fresh water.
Status
Distribution
Limited to the waters of countries bordering on the North Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea
Threats
Over-fishing, damage to river habitats and riparian habitats along riverbanks, pollution.
Fascinating facts
There is only one species of Atlantic salmon: Salmo salar. There are six species of Pacific salmon: pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), chum (O.keta), chinook (O.tschawytscha), coho (O.kisutch), sockeye (O.nerka) and Masou (O.masou).