
Chum Salmon (Protected)
Oncorhynchus keta

Protected Status
Quick Facts

Chum salmon. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
About the Species

Chum salmon. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
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.
Population Status
Protected Status
ESA Threatened
1 evolutionarily significant unit
- Columbia River ESU
ESA Threatened
1 evolutionarily significant unit
- 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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Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 10/14/2022
Featured News



Recreational Fishing Regulations
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 10/14/2022
Commercial Fishing Regulations
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 10/14/2022
Subsistence Fishing Regulations
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 10/14/2022
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 10/14/2022
In the Spotlight
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 10/14/2022
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
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 10/14/2022
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
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
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 10/14/2022
Documents
2022 5-Year Review: Summary & Evaluation of Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon, Columbia River Chum Salmon, Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon, and Lower Columbia River Steelhead
Five-year reviews describe whether recovery is on track in the context of the recovery plan,…
Genetic Studies of Salmon Bycatch
This document describes genetic research by the Alaska Fisheries Science Center to study chum and…
Final Review Draft for Proposed Amendment 51 to the FMP for BSAI King and Tanner Crabs, Amendment 17 to the FMP for the Scallop Fishery off Alaska, and Amendment 15 to the FMP for the Salmon Fisheries Compliance with Bycatch Reporting Methodology
Analysis of fishery management plan amendments regarding Standardized Bycatch Reporting…
Stillaguamish Hatcheries Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Proposed Evaluation and Pending Determination (PEPD)
Hatchery and Genetics Management Plans (HGMPs)
Data & Maps
2021 Genetic Stock Composition Analysis of Chum Salmon From the Prohibited Species Catch of the Bering Sea Walleye Pollock Trawl Fishery and Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Fisheries
Alaska Fisheries Science Center Salmon Bycatch Report
2020 Genetic Stock Composition Analysis of Chum Salmon From the Prohibited Species Catch of the Bering Sea Walleye Pollock Trawl Fishery and Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Fisheries
Alaska Fisheries Science Center Salmon Bycatch Report
2017 Genetic Stock Composition Analysis of Chum Salmon From the Prohibited Species Catch of the Bering Sea Walleye Pollock Trawl Fishery and Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Fisheries
Alaska Fisheries Science Center Salmon Bycatch Report.
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.
An Incredible Journey – Curriculum About Issues Affecting Salmon and How to Become a Salmon Steward
This curriculum includes 10 hands-on lesson plans that explore the salmon life cycle; the cultural,…
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 10/14/2022