Pacific Salmon

Five species of Pacific salmon thrive in the North Pacific waters of the U.S. and Canada: chinook (also called king), coho, pink, sockeye, and chum salmon. They begin their lives in freshwater streams, lakes, and rivers and migrate to the sea as small fish called smolts.  After they transition from fresh to salt water and grow into adults in the high seas of the North Pacific Ocean, a biological clock tells the salmon when it's time to return to the place of their birth to spawn a new generation. For the indigenous people of the Pacific Rim, salmon are a primary source of protein and also a part of their culture. Native groups celebrate the first return of salmon and individuals catch and store salmon for their families to eat all winter. 

Salmon play a major role in many economies. The North Pacific provides the primary source of wild salmon that is harvested commercially and eaten in homes and restaurants all over the world. The Alaska salmon fishery, responsible for around 90% of wild caught salmon in North America, is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.