Salmon (Salmo salar), known as the Atlantic salmon, is a bony fish typical of both freshwater and marine environments, it belongs to the family Scombridae and lives in the North Sea especially in the Atlantic. It has a streamlined, elongated body with a slender caudal peduncle.

Habitat and Distribution

The Atlantic salmon is native to the northern coasts of Europe and the Atlantic side of America and it prefers cold, clean waters, which are essential for its reproduction.

Life Cycle and Migration

Salmon are known for their remarkable migratory life cycle. Born in freshwater, they migrate to the sea for their adult phase and return to their birth rivers to reproduce.

Diet

In the sea, they primarily feed on smaller fish, crustaceans, and squids, during river migration, salmon do not actively feed.

Reproduction

Reproduction occurs in rivers. Females lay eggs in nests dug into the riverbed.

After hatching, young salmon spend up to three years in freshwater before migrating to the sea.

Economic Importance

Atlantic salmon is highly valued for human consumption.

Salmon farming is a significant industry, especially in Norway.

Conservation

The species is threatened by pollution, overfishing, and habitat loss.

Studies

Conservation efforts are underway to protect its habitats and sustainably manage populations, however, despite the implementation of various rehabilitation measures to mitigate and compensate for the negative effects of pollution, fishing, and regulation of the river, Atlantic salmon stocking appears to be far from effective throughout Europe (1).

A danger has emerged: the escapement of farmed salmon that changes the breed and characteristics of wild salmon. (2).

The average total length of Atlantic salmon, measured in Norway on the Imsa River, has decreased (3).

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Lenders HJ, Chamuleau TP, Hendriks AJ, Lauwerier RC, Leuven RS, Verberk WC. Historical rise of waterpower initiated the collapse of salmon stocks. Sci Rep. 2016 Jul 20;6:29269. doi: 10.1038/srep29269. PMID: 27435118; PMCID: PMC4951639.

(2)  Hindar K., Fleming I. A., McGinnity P., and Diserud O. H. 2006. Genetic and ecological effects of salmon farming on wild salmon: modelling from experimental results. ICES Journal of Marine Science 63:1234–1247.

(3) Jonsson B, Jonsson N, Albretsen J. Environmental change influences the life history of salmon Salmo salar in the North Atlantic Ocean. J Fish Biol. 2016 Feb;88(2):618-37. doi: 10.1111/jfb.12854. Epub 2016 Jan 3. PMID: 26725985.