Species and Habitat Outlines

Sockeye Salmon
TAXONOMY

Phylum: Chordata
Class: Osteichthyes
Order: Salmoniformes
Family: Salmonidae

 

ECOLOGICAL DATA

Distribution: spawn in lake fed systems; extensive feeding migration in NE Pacific Ocean.

Habitat: mature adults enter natal river from Jun to Sep; spawn in Sep and Oct in gravel areas of lake tributaries, outlet, or spring-fed areas along shore; fry emerge in Apr and May and rear in lake for 1-2 yr; some stocks migrate as fry to rear in riverine or estuarine nursery areas; juveniles from lakes emigrate during Apr and May as smolts at 60-100 mm; May and Jun juveniles rear along Vancouver Is. and Gulf Is., and leave Georgia Strait by Jul; some fry rear in upper estuary over spring and summer until 60-70 mm, then enter Fraser plume in July and disperse from Strait by Sep-Oct; feed for 2-3 yr in ocean before returning to natal river/lake to spawn; may hold off mouth of river for up to several days or weeks before moving upstream to spawn.

Tidal elevation: some fry rear in shallow areas in estuaries; smolts and adults feed and migrate in deeper water.

Food: insects, copepods, euphausiids, fish larvae, amphipods, decapod larvae, and crustaceans, squid and small fishes offshore.

Predators: fishes, birds, marine mammals and bears.

GROWTH RATE

Fry grow from 35 mm on entrance to delta to 90-110 mm by Sep in Georgia Strait; reach sexual maturity at 4-5 yr and may live as long as 8 yr.

FISHERY

Most important species for commercial and Native fisheries; 1986 commercial catch was 29,811 t valued at $143.3 million; also support sport fishery.

REFERENCES

Birtwell, I.K., M.D. Nassichuk, and H. Beune. 1987. Underyearling sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in the estuary of the Fraser River, p. 25-35. In H.D. Smith, L. Margolis, and C.C. Wood. [ed.] Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) population biology and future management. Can. Spec. Publ. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 96.

Foerster, R.E. 1968. The sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka. Fish. Res. Board Can. Bull. 162: 422 p.

Healey, M.C. 1980. The ecology of juvenile salmon in Georgia Strait, British Columbia, p. 203-229. In W.J. McNiel and D.C. Himsworth [ed.] Salmonid ecosystems of the North Pacific. Ore. State Univ. Press, Corvallis.

Healey, M.C. 1982. Juvenile Pacific salmon in estuaries: the life support system, p. 315-341. In V.S. Kennedy [ed.] Estuarine comparisons. Academic Press, N.Y.

Manzer, J.I. 1956. Distribution and movement of young Pacific salmon during early ocean residence. Fish. Res. Board Can. Pac. Progr. Rep. 106: 24-28.

 

For more information on sockeye salmon habitat utilization and life cycles - click here

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