Chinook Salmon
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
 |
Photo contributed by:
Douglas F. Markle
Department of Fisheries & Wildlife
Oregon State University
|
In-depth Information Regarding this Species
| U.S. Range in the Pacific Ocean |
Bering Sea to San Diego (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983) |
| Depth range (meters) |
Surface to 128 (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| General Salinity Range (ppt) |
Anadromous
Rare in freshwater (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983) |
| Maximum Overall Recorded Size (cm) |
Largest Pacific salmon (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983, Love 1996) |
| Average Maximum Overall Length (cm) |
147 (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983) |
| Average Maximum weight (kg) |
Up to 23
Usually 4.5–6.8 (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983)
57 (largest recorded) (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Overall Maximum Age (years) |
8 (Love 1996) |
| Overall Age at Maturity (years) |
4–5 (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983)
1–9
3–6 (average) (Moyle 1976 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Overall Length at Maturity (cm) |
91
Some 15 cm ones spawn and then return to the sea (Love 1996) |
| Type of Reproduction |
Gonochoristic, oviparous, semelparous (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Fecundity |
273–20,000 (Love 1996)
2,000–14,000 (Rounsefell 1957; Moyle 1976; Bell 1984 all in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Spawning Habitat |
Gravel (Love 1996) |
| Spawning Behavior |
Parents die after spawning (Love 1996) |
| Time of Year of Spawning |
Fall (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983)
July through late September (Columbia River) (Fulton 1968 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Description of Eggs |
Bright red (Love 1996) |
| Habitat where Eggs are found |
Benthic, infaunal (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Days to Hatch |
33–178 (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Temperature for Egg Survival (°C) |
Negative impact if over 14 (Love 1996)
5–14.4 (optimal) ( Bell 1984 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Salinity for Egg Survival (ppt) |
Freshwater (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Habitat where Larvae are found |
Buried in gravel for 14–21 days (Love 1996)
Benthic, infaunal (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Days in Larval Stage |
50% hatch after 32 days at 16°C
50% hatch after 159 days at 2°C (Love 1996) |
| Salinity for Larval Survival (ppt) |
Up to 15 (Wagner et al. 1969 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Habitat where Juveniles are found |
Enter ocean after 60–120 days (5–10 cm long) (Love 1996) |
| Length when Juvenile Settles out (cm) |
2 (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Salinity for Juvenile Survival (ppt) |
May stay in freshwater for up to 1 year (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983) |
| Juvenile Food Preference |
Insects, Crustaceans (Love 1996) |
| Salinity for Adult Survival (ppt) |
Freshwater to euhaline water (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Adult Food Preference |
Herring, Sand Lance, Rockfish, Krill, Amphipods, Copepods, (Love 1996) |
| Sold Fresh or Frozen |
Fresh and Frozen (Love 1996) |
| Style Species is Sold |
Smoked (Love 1996) |
| Shelf-life in Fresh State (days at 40°F) |
5–7 (Love 1996) |
| Shelf-life in Frozen State (months at 0°F) |
9 (Love 1996) |
| Additional Remarks |
mDNA study estimates that this species has existed for 3–4 million years (Love 1996)
From 1875–1920's Columbia River had largest chinook salmon runs in the world (Emmett et al. 1991) |
Recent Wild Harvest Data for Oregon
Data from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
|
Year
|
Total Catch
(Pounds)
|
Ex-vessel Value
( U.S. Dollars)
|
|
1989
|
7,610,539
|
10,652,211
|
|
1990
|
4,202,223
|
8,067,575
|
|
1991
|
1,795,378
|
2,930,856
|
|
1992
|
1,676,951
|
3,120,564
|
|
1993
|
1,490,396
|
2,177,299
|
|
1994
|
720,759
|
1,019,364
|
|
1995
|
2,602,364
|
3,432,380
|
|
1996
|
2,612,462
|
3,152,334
|
|
1997
|
2,083,598
|
2,659,115
|
|
1998
|
1,777,258
|
2,466,533
|
