Chum Salmon (Protected)
Oncorhynchus keta

Protected Status
Quick Facts

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
1 distinct population segment
- Columbia River ESU
ESA Threatened
1 distinct population segment
- Hood Canal summer-run ESU
Scientific Classification
Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Chordata | Class | Osteichthyes | Order | Salmoniformes | Family | Salmonidae | Genus | Oncorhynchus | Species | keta |
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Featured News

In the Spotlight
Management Overview
We listed the Columbia River and Hood Canal summer-run ESUs as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1999.
Key Actions and Documents
Science Overview
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.
Recent Science Blogs
Documents
Stillaguamish Hatcheries Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Proposed Evaluation and Pending Determination (PEPD)
Hatchery and Genetics Management Plans (HGMPs)
Salmon, Cods and Skates Observer Training Guide
This documentation contains Salmon, Cods, and Skates identification information to assist North…
Genetic Stock Composition Analysis of Chum Salmon from the Prohibited Species Catch of the 2015 Bering Sea Walleye Pollock Trawl Fishery and Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Fisheries
A genetic analysis of the prohibited species catch (PSC) of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)…
Genetic Stock Composition Analysis of Chum Salmon from the Prohibited Species Catch of the 2016 Bering Sea Walleye Pollock Trawl Fishery and Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Fisheries
A genetic analysis of the prohibited species catch (PSC) of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)…
Data & Maps
Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund Database
The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) database serves as a project and performance…
Recovery Action Database
Tracks the implementation of recovery actions from Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery plans.
Research
Alaska Ecosystem Monitoring and Assessment
Eastern Bering Sea sample stations. Our goal is to improve and reduce uncertainty in stock assessment models of commercially important fish species by collecting, analyzing and incorporating observations of fish and oceanography into these…
Northeastern Bering Sea Ecosystem Assessment
Pelagic trawl (surface trawl and mid water acoustics) and oceanographic data collected during the Northern Bering Sea survey are used to improve understanding of the pelagic ecosystem and assist efforts aimed at reducing uncertainty in harvest…
Connecting Independent Research Surveys of Bering Sea Salmon Populations to Chum Salmon Bycatch
Although chum salmon bycatch has historically remained at low levels relative to their biomass in the Bering Sea, recent increases in chum salmon bycatch have generated concern over bycatch impacts on Alaskan salmon stocks and the effectiveness of…
Southeastern Bering Sea Ecosystem Assessment
Southeastern Bering Sea sample stations (below 60 degrees north) We conduct a fishery and oceanographic survey in the southeastern Bering Sea using surface trawl and midwater acoustics to collect indices on fish size, relative abundance,…
Outreach & Education
Protectores de Salmónidos (en español)
A través de los cómics, los juegos de palabras, y los laberintos, los niños aprenden sobre la…
¡Cuento con usted! edición salmón (en español)
Aprenda qué es lo que el salmón necesita para vivir y cómo puede hacer la diferencia.
I'm Counting on You! Salmon Brochure About Issues Affecting Salmon and How You Can Help
Learn about the threats facing salmon and what you can do to help.