Oncorhynchus keta
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.
| Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Chordata | Class | Osteichthyes | Order | Salmoniformes | Family | Salmonidae | Genus | Oncorhynchus | Species | keta |
|---|
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.
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.
