Chum Salmon (Protected)

Chum Salmon (Protected)

Oncorhynchus keta

Chum salmon illustration

Protected Status

ESA Threatened
Columbia River ESU
ESA Threatened
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
See Regulatory Actions
Chum salmon swimming close to rocks.

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.

Learn more about chum salmon

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

Featured News

grilled tuna lemon with mayo_Mariners Menu_photo by Vanda Lewis_NC Sea Grant.jpg Grilled tuna lemon with mayo. Credit: North Carolina Sea Grant/Vanda Lewis.
Feature Story

Behind the Scenes of the Most Consumed Seafood

juvenile chinook salmon in still water
Feature Story

Cowlitz Tribe Restores Lower Columbia Salmon Habitat, Benefiting Juvenile and Adult Fish

West Coast
A flat landscape with short marsh grasses and a small stream running through
Feature Story

Skokomish River Estuary Restoration Helps Salmon and Steelhead Return Home

West Coast
<span>Connecting Independent Research Surveys of Bering Sea Salmon Populations to Chum Salmon Bycatch in Bering Sea Groundfish Fisheries</span> Featured Image
Feature Story

Connecting Independent Research Surveys of Bering Sea Salmon Populations to Chum Salmon Bycatch in Bering Sea Groundfish Fisheries

Alaska
View More 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.

Learn more about the regulatory history of chum salmon

Key Actions and Documents

Actions & Documents Incidental Take

Dungeness Hatcheries Plans

NOAA Fisheries is making available for public review its Proposed Evaluation and Pending Determination (PEPD) analyzing effects of our proposed determination on&nbsp;three hatchery programs currently operating in the Dungeness River basin of Puget Sound…
Notice
,
West Coast
Published

Initiation of 5-Year Reviews for 28 ESA Listed Species of Salmon and Steelhead

NOAA announced&nbsp;5-year reviews of 28 species listed under the Endangered Species Act.The listed species comprise 17 evolutionarily significant units&nbsp;of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) and 11 distinct population segments&nbsp;of steelhead …
Notice
,
West Coast
Issued

90-Day Finding on Petition to List the Winter-Run Puget Sound Chum Salmon in the Nisqually River System and Chambers Creek as a Threatened or

NOAA Fisheries announces a 90-day finding on a petition to list the winter-run Puget Sound chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) in the Nisqually River system and Chambers Creek as a threatened or endangered evolutionarily significant unit (ESU) under the…
Notice
,
National
Published

Designation of Critical Habitat for 12 Evolutionarily Significant Units of West Coast Salmon and Steelhead in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho (2005)

NOAA Fisheries issued a final rule designating critical habitat for 12 Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) of West Coast salmon (chum, Oncorhynchus keta; sockeye, O. nerka; chinook, O. tshawytscha) and steelhead (O. mykiss) listed as of the date of…
Final Rule
,
West Coast
Published

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

500x333-SalmonResearchInAlaskaImage003-sized.jpg

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. 

Learn More

Research & Data

Salmon Habitat Status and Trend Monitoring Program Data

Habitat data sets for habitat status and trend monitoring in Puget Sound…
June 18, 2020 - Map ,
West Coast

Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund Database

The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) database serves as a…
February 11, 2020 - Database ,
Alaska
West Coast

Recovery Action Database

Tracks the implementation of recovery actions from Endangered Species Act…
February 10, 2020 - Database ,
National

Protected Resources App

Displays spatial data for marine and anadromous species listed under the…
February 05, 2020 - Map ,
West Coast
View More

Recent Science Blogs

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Documents

Document

Salmon, Cods and Skates Observer Training Guide

This documentation contains Salmon, Cods, and Skates identification information to assist North…

Alaska
More Documents

Data & Maps

Data

Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund Database

The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) database serves as a project and performance…

Alaska
West Coast
Data

Recovery Action Database

Tracks the implementation of recovery actions from Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery plans.

National
More Data and Maps

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…

Alaska

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…

Alaska

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…

Alaska

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,…

Alaska
More Research

Outreach & Education

Educational Materials

Protectores de Salmónidos (en español)

A través de los cómics, los juegos de palabras, y los laberintos, los niños aprenden sobre la…

West Coast
Educational Materials

¡Cuento con usted! edición salmón (en español)

Aprenda qué es lo que el salmón necesita para vivir y cómo puede hacer la diferencia.

West Coast
Educational Materials

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.

West Coast
More Outreach and Education Materials