Pink Salmon
Pink Salmon
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
Fishing Status
Overfishing status is unknown, but management measures are in place for pink salmon.Quick Facts
Pink salmon. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
Pink salmon. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
About the Species
U.S. wild-caught pink salmon is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
NOAA Fisheries works in cooperation with federal, state, tribal, and Canadian officials to manage these commercial, recreational, and tribal harvest of salmon and steelhead in ocean and inland waters of the West Coast and Alaska. To learn more about management of these fisheries, visit our West Coast and Alaska fisheries management pages.
Appearance
- Pink salmon are the smallest of the Pacific salmon found in North America, weighing between 3.5 and 5 pounds, with an average length of 20 to 25 inches.
- Pink salmon can be distinguished from other Pacific salmon by the large dark oval spots on their back and entire tail fin as well as their general coloring and form.
- In the sea, pink salmon are steel blue to blue-green on the back, silver on the sides, and white on the belly.
- Breeding males become dark on the back and red with brownish green blotches on the sides.
- Males also develop a hump on their back, which is why they are often called “humpback” salmon.
- Breeding females are similar but lack a dorsal hump and are less distinctly colored.
Biology
- Pink salmon are anadromous – they hatch in freshwater streams and rivers then migrate out to the saltwater environment of the ocean to feed and grow.
- Unlike coho, Chinook, or sockeye salmon, pink salmon do not reside in fresh water for an extended period.
- Young pink salmon (fry) typically migrate directly to estuarine and marine waters soon after they are born.
- Once they reach the ocean, they feed voraciously and grow rapidly. In fact, they’re among the fastest growing of the Pacific salmon species.
- After about 1½ years of feeding and growing in the ocean, maturing pink salmon return to fresh water to spawn, usually from August to October.
- Females construct nests (redds) in the riverbed by turning on their sides and vigorously flexing their bodies and tails, digging a shallow hole.
- Females deposit between 1,200 and 1,900 eggs in the redds, which the males then fertilize.
- The female stays and defends her redd from other females until she dies, usually within two weeks.
- All pink salmon die after they spawn.
- They typically spawn at the age of 2.
- Because the pink salmon life cycle is so regular, independent populations spawn in even and odd years. For example, in the southern part of their range, they usually spawn in odd years in most river systems. However, pink salmon do spawn in even years in some Puget Sound rivers.
- Throughout most of Alaska, there is no dominant year, except in the northwestern part of Alaska where even-year runs predominate.
- Pink salmon feed on small crustaceans, zooplankton (tiny floating animals), squid, and small fish.
- In fresh water, aquatic invertebrates, other fishes, birds, and small mammals prey on pink salmon eggs, alevins, and fry.
- In the ocean, other fishes (including other Pacific salmon) and coastal seabirds prey on pink salmon fry and juveniles.
- Marine mammals, sharks, other fishes (such as Pacific halibut), and humpback whales feed on adult pink salmon.
- In freshwater spawning habitats, bears are predators of adult pink salmon. Wolves, river otters, and bald eagles will also occasionally eat pre-spawning adult pinks.
- After salmon spawn and die, salmon carcasses are a valuable source of energy and nutrients to the river ecosystem. Carcasses have been shown to improve newly hatched salmon growth and survival by contributing nitrogen and phosphorous compounds to streams.
Where They Live
Range
- Pink salmon are found on both sides of the North Pacific, from Alaska to Puget Sound in Washington State and from Russia to North Korea.
- In North America, they’re found from the Arctic coast in Alaska and territories in Canada to central California, although they do not reproduce in significant numbers south of Puget Sound.
Habitat
- Freshwater streams, estuaries, and associated wetlands provide vital nursery grounds for pink salmon.
- Adult salmon leave the ocean, enter fresh water, and migrate upstream to spawn, usually in the stream of their birth.
- Pink salmon spawn in rivers closer to tidewater than most other Pacific salmon species, generally within 30 miles of a river mouth.
Scientific Classification
- Pink salmon are found on both sides of the North Pacific, from Alaska to Puget Sound in Washington State and from Russia to North Korea.
- In North America, they’re found from the Arctic coast in Alaska and territories in Canada to central California, although they do not reproduce in significant numbers south of Puget Sound.
- Freshwater streams, estuaries, and associated wetlands provide vital nursery grounds for pink salmon.
- Adult salmon leave the ocean, enter fresh water, and migrate upstream to spawn, usually in the stream of their birth.
- Pink salmon spawn in rivers closer to tidewater than most other Pacific salmon species, generally within 30 miles of a river mouth.
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Chordata | Class | Actinopterygii | Order | Salmoniformes | Family | Salmonidae | Genus | Oncorhynchus | Species | gorbuscha |
|---|
Featured News
3D render and imaging of topographic map of Alaska showing the Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea. Satellite images courtesy of NASA. Credit: Frank Ramspott
Bryan Cormack, fisheries biologist at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, uses a multi-channel pipette for streamlined high-throughput processing using the sulfo-phospho-vanillin (SPV) assay. He processed more than 2,700 SPV samples this past year. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Cody Pinger.
A coho salmon swims up the Sol Duc river on the Olympic Peninsula. Credit: Adobe Stock.
Related Species
Seafood Facts
Is Pink Salmon Sustainable?
U.S. wild-caught pink salmon is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Availability
Fresh from late summer to fall, and frozen and canned year-round.
Source
U.S. wild caught from Alaska, Washington, and Oregon.
Taste
Pink salmon has a low oil content so it’s generally lean and mild-flavored.
Texture
Softer meat than most salmon with a small flake.
Color
Pink salmon’s meat is pale pink and lacks the orange tint of other salmon species.
Health Benefits
Pink salmon is low in sodium and is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, niacin, vitamin B12, and selenium.
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1; Serving Weight: 100 g (raw); Calories: 116; Protein: 19.94 g; Total Fat: 3.45 g; Total Saturated Fatty Acids: 0.558 g; Carbohydrate: 0 g; Total Sugars: 0 g; Total Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Cholesterol: 52 mg; Selenium: 44.6 mcg; Sodium: 67 mgPink Salmon Recipes
Pink salmon is a softer meat with small flakes that make a great pasta or soup. If you’re looking for cooking inspiration, browse these recipes for pink salmon bucatini, chowder, and more!
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Tonya Wick aboard a fishing vessel at sea in 1998. Photo courtesy of Tonya Wick
Science Overview
NOAA Fisheries conducts various research activities on the biology, behavior, and ecology of pink salmon. The results of this research are used to inform management decisions for this species.
For detailed information about stock status, management, assessments, and resource trends, you can search for pink salmon and any other species of interest using NOAA's StockSMART web tool.
Pink Salmon Research 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 pink salmon in Alaska.
More on salmon research in Alaska
Pink Salmon Research in the Pacific Northwest
Our research on Pacific salmon covers several topics including bycatch, salmon harvest forecasts, ecotoxicology, genetics, marine survival, and responses to climate change.
