Document
Stillaguamish Hatcheries Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Proposed Evaluation and Pending Determination (PEPD)
Hatchery and Genetics Management Plans (HGMPs)
Chum Salmon - Protected
Chum Salmon - Protected
Oncorhynchus keta
Protected Status
ESA Threatened
Columbia River ESU,
Hood Canal summer-run ESU
Quick Facts
Weight
8 to 15 pounds on average, but can weight up to 45 pounds
Lifespan
About 4 years
Length
Up to 3.6 feet
Threats
Habitat impediments (dams),
Habitat loss,
Habitat degradation,
Commercial and recreational fishing,
Climate change
Region
West Coast
About The Species
Chum salmon may historically have been the most abundant of all Pacific salmonids. They are an anadromous fish, which means they can live in both fresh and saltwater. Chum salmon have a relatively complex life history that includes spawning and juvenile rearing in rivers followed by migrating to saltwater to feed, grow, and mature before returning to freshwater to spawn. They are vulnerable to many stressors and threats including blocked access to spawning grounds and habitat degradation caused by dams and culverts. Two evolutionary significant units of chum salmon are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
NOAA Fisheries is committed to conserving and protecting chum salmon. Our scientists and partners use a variety of innovative techniques to study, learn more about, and protect this species.
Protected Status
ESA Threatened
- Columbia River ESU
- Hood Canal summer-run ESU
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Chordata | Class | Osteichthyes | Order | Salmoniformes | Family | Salmonidae | Genus | Oncorhynchus | Species | keta |
|---|
Featured News
Science
NOAA Fisheries conducts various research activities on the biology, behavior, and ecology of chum salmon. The results of this research are used to inform management decisions for this species.
Dive Deeper Into Our Research
Chum Salmon in Alaska
Juveniles of the five Pacific salmon species.
Our work to forecast salmon harvests, assess the impact of commercial fisheries on salmon, and evaluate how salmon populations respond to environmental changes enable us to estimate abundance and trends for chum salmon in Alaska.