DESCRIPTION
-
The most numerous of salmon a Pink Salmon
is usually about 18-24 inches long reaching
an average weight of 3-5 pounds with a
conical head and small eyes. In breeding
males the snout of the Pink Salmon is
greatly extended and turned down at the
tip; the lower jaw is enlarged and unable
to close with sharp teeth on both jaws.
Also he has a large hump before the dorsal
fin whereas the female changes little
except in color. A steel-blue to blue-green
with large black dots and silver sides
characterize the coloring. A less brilliant
yet similar color is in permanent freshwater
pinks.
DISTRIBUTION
- The Pink Salmon can be found in the
Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the Bering
and Okholsk Seas and the Sea of Japan.
Young and spawning adults are found in
most tributary rivers of North America
and North East Asia.
BIOLOGY
- From June to September adult Pink Salmon
can be found migrating from the sea into
freshwater anywhere from 40 to 300 miles
upstream. Spawning takes place from mid-July
to late October. The female prepares the
nest or redd where she lays and average
of 1500-1900 orange-red colored eggs.
She guards her nest as long as able but
the spawning adults die in a few days
or weeks. Hatching occurs from late December
to late February. The average lifespan
of a Pink Salmon is two years; generally
they return to the river they were hatched
in to spawn. The diet of these salmon
consists of euphausiids, amphipods and
a variety of fish and squid. Assorted
stream fish prey upon the young pink salmon
including cutthroat and rainbow trout,
Dolly Varden, coho salmon smolts and squawfish.
Also predaceous birds account for the
loss of a number of small fry.
RELATION
TO MAN - Prior to 1911 Pink Salmon
were considered less desirable by commercial
and sport fisherman. But due to wartime
food requirements and the decrease of
other salmon as a result of a slide in
the Fraser River the total annual catch
increased drastically and continues to
be strong.
