Overview
Like all Pacific salmons, with the exception of landlocked specimens, the chum salmon is anadromous. At sea, it is silvery and has no distinct black spots, though it may have fine black speckling on the upper sides and back. Spawning males turn olive green with blood red vertical markings reaching up the sides, making this one of the most easily recognized Pacific salmon species. The color of spawning females is less vivid, but essentially the same. Breeding males of the species have large, bared teeth, which may be the origin of the name “dog salmon,” though it is also said that this name evolved because this species was often fed to sled dogs.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Perciformes
- Family
- Salmonidae
- Genus
- Oncorhynchus
- Species
- keta
Habitat
Chum salmon primarily inhabit the cold, marine waters of the North Pacific Ocean, including areas like the Bering Sea, Sea of Japan, and Okhotsk Sea, where they feed and grow. They migrate to freshwater rivers and streams in regions such as Alaska, Canada, and parts of Asia for spawning, favoring gravel-bottomed areas with moderate current and cool temperatures.
Diet
Juvenile chum salmon feed on insects, zooplankton, and small aquatic invertebrates in freshwater streams. In the ocean, adults consume small fish like herring, squid, and crustaceans, often feeding in schools near the surface during dawn and dusk.
Behavior
During spawning it is known to ascend some rivers for considerable distances 1,242 mi or (2,000 km).
Fishing
The flesh is creamy white and the lowest of all the salmons in fat content. It is not as popular or as desirable as other Pacific salmons. Together with the pink salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, it is sometimes called “autumn salmon” or “fall salmon” because it is the last salmon to make its spawning run. It begins entering the river mouths after mid June and reaches some spawning grounds as late as November or December. This late run severely affects its utilization as a sport fish, and it is not one of the most sought after by anglers.
Conservation Status
Listed as Not Evaluated by IUCN.