Sockeye Salmon (Protected)

Sockeye Salmon (Protected)

Oncorhynchus nerka

Sockeye salmon illustration

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
See Regulatory Actions
Sockeye salmon swimming

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.

Learn more about sockeye salmon

Protected Status

ESA Endangered

1 distinct population segment

  • Snake River ESU

ESA Threatened

1 distinct population segment

  • Ozette Lake ESU

Scientific Classification

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Osteichthyes
Order Salmoniformes
Family Salmonidae
Genus Oncorhynchus
Species nerka

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

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Feature Story

Meet Joshua Russell: Summer Intern Now Part of Auke Bay Staff

Alaska
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Feature Story

Exploring Women’s Engagement in 30 Years of Alaska Fisheries

Alaska
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Feature Story

Fish Size Affects Snake River Salmon Returns More than Route Through Dams

West Coast
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In the Spotlight

Management Overview

One evolutionary significant unit of sockeye salmon is listed as endangered and one ESU is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.  

Regulatory History

The threatened and endangered ESUs of sockeye salmon were listed under the ESA on June 28, 2005. We had previously listed the Snake River ESU and Ozette Lake ESU in 1991 and 1999, but we reaffirmed the listings in 2005.

We designated critical habitat for the Snake River ESU on December 28, 1993 and for the Ozette Lake ESU on September 2, 2005.

Learn more about regulatory history for sockeye salmon

Key Actions and Documents

Actions & Documents Incidental Take

Oregon Resident Trout and Coho Fishery Plan for the Grande Ronde, Imnaha, and Snake Rivers

NOAA Fisheries is providing one Fishery Management and Evaluation Plan (FMEP) for recreational coho salmon and resident trout fisheries in the Snake River Basin for public comment. The FMEP was submitted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife …
Notice
,
West Coast
Published

Notice Extending Comment Period for Snake River Hatchery Plans

Extended comment period closes August 28, 2019 NMFS is extending the public comment period on a draft Environmental Assessment (EA), three Proposed Evaluation and Determination Documents (PEPDs), and four Hatchery and Genetic Management Plans (HGMPs)…
Notice
,
West Coast
Published

Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment, Pending Determination, and Hatchery Plans for Salmon and Steelhead Hatchery Programs in

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received 16 plans for hatchery programs rearing and releasing Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and summer steelhead in the Snake River basin. The plans describe hatchery programs operated by the Idaho Department of Fish…
Notice
,
West Coast
Published

Notice of Availability of a State Plan and Analysis of a Tribal Plan for Fisheries Targeting Steelhead in the Snake River Basin

Notice is hereby given that the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) has provided a Fishery Management and Evaluation Plan (FMEP), and the Nez Perce Tribe has provided a Tribal Resource Management Plan (TRMP), pursuant to the protective…
Notice
,
West Coast
Published

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

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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. 

Learn More

Research & Data

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

Critical Habitat - Salmon and Steelhead (all West Coast)

Maps and GIS data
January 23, 2020 - Map ,
West Coast
View More

Recent Science Blogs

View More

Documents

Document

Final Environmental Assessment: Snake River Basin Fall Chinook and Coho Salmon, and Resident Trout Fisheries

The Snake River is a tributary to the Columbia River. The proposed management plans include fall…

West Coast
Document

Evolution of Phenology in a Salmonid Population: a Potential Adaptive Response to Climate Change

Accumulating evidence has indicated that many fish populations are responding to climate change…

Alaska
Document

2016 5-Year Review: Summary & Evaluation of Ozette Lake Sockeye

Many West Coast salmon and steelhead (Oncorhynchus sp.) stocks have declined substantially from…

West Coast
Document

2016 5-Year Review: Summary & Evaluation of Snake River Sockeye Snake River Spring-Summer Chinook Snake River Fall-Run Chinook Snake River Basin Steelhead

Many West Coast salmon and steelhead (Oncorhynchus spp.) stocks have declined substantially from…

West Coast
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 Research on Salmon Ecology and Bycatch

Through our research we seek to understand ecological processes that drive the productivity of anadromous fish  populations or fish that spend portions of their lives in freshwater, estuarine, transitional, and marine ecosystems of the Gulf of Alaska…

Alaska

Genetics Research in Alaska

Legislation mandating research includes the Pacific Salmon Treaty, the North Pacific Anadromous Stocks Act, and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Our research helps improve understanding of ocean ecology by supporting fish…

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