Sockeye Salmon (Protected)
Sockeye Salmon (Protected)
Oncorhynchus nerka
Protected Status
ESA Endangered
Snake River ESU
ESA Threatened
Ozette Lake ESU
Quick Facts
Weight
Average 8 pounds
Lifespan
About 5 years
Length
Up to 3 feet
Threats
Habitat impediments (dams),
Habitat degradation,
Habitat loss,
Commercial and recreational fishing,
Climate change
Region
West Coast
About The Species
Sockeye salmon are anadromous fish, which means they can live in both fresh and saltwater. They 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. Sockeye salmon are vulnerable to many stressors and threats including blocked access to spawning grounds and habitat degradation caused by dams and culverts. One evolutionary significant unit is listed as endangered and one ESU is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
NOAA Fisheries is committed to conserving and protecting sockeye salmon. Our scientists and partners use a variety of innovative techniques to study, learn more about, and protect this species.
Protected Status
ESA Endangered
- Snake River ESU
ESA Threatened
- Ozette Lake ESU
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Chordata | Class | Osteichthyes | Order | Salmoniformes | Family | Salmonidae | Genus | Oncorhynchus | Species | nerka |
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What We Do
Featured News
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.
Dive Deeper Into Our Research
Sockeye 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 sockeye salmon in Alaska.
