Sockeye Salmon
Sockeye Salmon
Oncorhynchus nerka
Fishing Status
Overfishing status is unknown, but management measures are in place for sockeye salmon.Quick Facts
Sockeye salmon. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
Sockeye salmon. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
About the Species
U.S. wild-caught sockeye 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.
However, some sockeye salmon are also protected under the Endangered Species Act. Learn more about protected sockeye salmon.
Appearance
- Sockeye is one of the smaller species of Pacific salmon, measuring 1.5 to 2.5 feet in length and weighing 4 to 15 pounds.
- Kokanee (non-anadromous sockeye) rarely exceed 1.2 feet in length.
- Sea-going sockeye salmon have iridescent silver flanks, a white belly, and a metallic green-blue top, giving them their "blueback" name.
- Some fine black speckling may occur on the back, but the large spots typical of other Pacific salmon are absent. There are no spots on the fins, including the tail.
- As sockeye salmon return to their freshwater spawning grounds, their heads turn green and their bodies turn bright red, hence their other common name in Alaska is “red” salmon.
- Spawning males develop a humped back and hooked jaws filled with tiny, visible teeth.
Biology
- Most sockeye salmon are anadromous—they hatch in freshwater streams and rivers or lakes and generally rear in freshwater lakes for 1 to 3 years, after which they reach the smolt stage and migrate to the ocean to feed and grow.
- They typically mature and return to fresh water after 2 to 3 years at sea, but some return earlier or stay at sea longer, between 4 and 5 years.
- Sockeye salmon that return earlier are almost always males and are called "jacks."
- They typically spawn in the summer or fall.
- Females select spawning sites, dig nests (redds) with their tails, and deposit eggs (between 2,000 and 4,500) in the redds.
- Males swim over the redds and fertilize the eggs.
- Females cover their eggs with gravel using their tails.
- The eggs hatch during the winter, and the newly hatched salmon (alevins) remain in the gravel, living off the material stored in their yolk sacs until early spring.
- They then emerge as fry and spend 1 to 3 years in fresh water before reaching the smolt stage and migrating out to the ocean, usually in the spring.
- All sockeye salmon die within a few weeks after spawning.
- They sexually mature around the age of 5, which means their lifespan is about 5 years, although some live longer. Age 4 is more common in the Pacific Northwest.
- While in fresh water, juvenile sockeye salmon feed mainly on zooplankton (tiny floating animals), amphipods (small, shrimp-like crustaceans), and insects.
- In the ocean, sockeye salmon continue to feed on zooplankton but also eat larval and small adult fishes and occasionally squid.
- Fish (including other salmon) and birds feed on juvenile salmon.
- Sharks, lampreys, and marine mammals prey on adult salmon in the ocean. Bears, eagles, and occasionally wolves feed on sockeye salmon in fresh water.
- 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
- Northwest Alaska to the Deschutes River in Oregon.
Habitat
- Freshwater lakes, streams, estuaries, and associated wetlands provide vital nursery grounds for sockeye salmon.
- Anadromous sockeye migrate from fresh water habitats to the ocean to further grow, feed, and mature.
- Adult salmon leave the ocean, enter fresh water, and migrate many miles upstream to spawn, usually in the stream or lake of their birth.
- Some sockeye salmon are not anadromous and spend their entire lives in freshwater.
- In the Pacific Northwest, non-anadromous sockeye are known as "kokanee."
Scientific Classification
- Northwest Alaska to the Deschutes River in Oregon.
- Freshwater lakes, streams, estuaries, and associated wetlands provide vital nursery grounds for sockeye salmon.
- Anadromous sockeye migrate from fresh water habitats to the ocean to further grow, feed, and mature.
- Adult salmon leave the ocean, enter fresh water, and migrate many miles upstream to spawn, usually in the stream or lake of their birth.
- Some sockeye salmon are not anadromous and spend their entire lives in freshwater.
- In the Pacific Northwest, non-anadromous sockeye are known as "kokanee."
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Chordata | Class | Actinopterygii | Order | Salmoniformes | Family | Salmonidae | Genus | Oncorhynchus | Species | nerka |
|---|
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Seafood Facts
Is Sockeye Salmon Sustainable?
U.S. wild-caught sockeye salmon is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Availability
Fresh summer and early fall. Frozen, canned, and smoked year-round.
Source
Alaska to Oregon.
Taste
Rich flavor that rivals the flavor of Chinook (king) salmon.
Texture
Firm and fatty, making it rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Color
Reddest flesh of the wild salmon species. The raw meat has a bright-red or orange-red color. Cooked meat remains red.
Health Benefits
Sockeye salmon is low in sodium and is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1; Serving Weight: 100 g (raw); Calories: 168; Protein: 21.3 g; Total Fat: 8.56 g; Total Saturated Fatty Acids: 1.495 g; Carbohydrate: 0 g; Total Sugars: 0 g; Total Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Cholesterol: 62 mg; Selenium: 33.7 mcg; Sodium: 47 mgSockeye Salmon Recipes
Sockeye has a bold, buttery flavor similar to chinook and is rich in omega 3. If you’re looking for cooking inspiration, browse these recipes for salmon sushi cups, grilled sockeye, and more!
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Science Overview
NOAA Fisheries conducts various research activities on the biology, behavior, and ecology of sockeye salmon. The results of this research are used to inform management decisions for this species. Sockeye salmon have not been assessed.
Sockeye 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 sockeye salmon in Alaska.
Learn more about salmon research in Alaska
Sockeye 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.
