Atlantic salmon

D-Lachs; GB-Atlantic salmon; DK-Laks; PL-Lõhe; LT-Lašiša; LV-Lasis; EST-Lõhe; RU-Атлантический лосось; FIN-Lohi; S-Atlantlax

Characters

1) Adipose fin present; often only greyish without red coloured parts.
2) Mouth opening very big, (often) reaching behind height of eye.
3) Caudal peduncle rather long and slender.
●) Various dark spots on body (not on caudal fin); young individuals also with dark, vertical stripes.
Often 30 to 40 cm, up to max. 120 cm length.

Similar species

Sea trout - adipose fin often slightly red-brownish, caudal peduncle shorter and thicker.

Pink salmon - dark spots on caudal fin.

Rainbow trout - redish iridescent operculum and lateral band.

Asp - without adipose fin.

Biology

1 to 4 years of feeding and growing period at sea as preparation for the spawning run of salmons. No food intake during the whole migration and spawning period. 8.000 - 25.000 eggs are laid by each female in grooves. Only a small part of salmons return back to sea, many animals die of overstraining.

Diet

They feed on smaller fish like herring, sandeels and sticklebacks, but also on crustaceans.

Importance

Strong commercial use as food fish; often kept in aquaculture; popular angling fish.

Endangerment

Raising endangerment and negative influence on wild populations due to water pollution, river constructions (impairment of spawning run) and overfishing.