Sockeye Salmon
The best-known Pacific salmon, sockeye are highly sought after for their superior flesh, colour, and quality. Their rich oil content and deep red colour make them a favourite with both Canadian and international consumers.
Also known as “Red Salmon” or “Kokanee”, the main spawning area of sockeye salmon extends from the Fraser River to Alaska's Bristol Bay. Most sockeye in BC and the Yukon spawn in late summer or fall in lake-fed systems—at lake outlets, within lakes, or in streams flowing into lakes. Major spawning runs occur in the Fraser, Skeena, Nass, Stikine, Taku, and Alsek watersheds, as well as in the Smith and Rivers Inlets.
Young sockeye may remain in their freshwater nursery lakes for a year or more, with some delaying their seaward journey until their second or third year. Once in salt water, BC sockeye move north and northwest along the coast. Their maturing years are spent across a vast area of the Pacific Ocean, reaching west to approximately the International Date Line (2,600 miles from Vancouver Island), north to the northern Gulf of Alaska, and south to the Oregon–California border.
One of the most remarkable features of sockeye is a phenomenon called cyclic dominance. In many Fraser River lake systems, sockeye are abundant in one of every four years. Although sockeye can mature between two and six years of age, in most systems one age group—usually four-year-old fish—dominates. This means most of the offspring from a given “brood-year” return to spawn four years later, leading to spectacular returns to the Adams River during peak years. The exact cause of this pattern remains unknown.
Migratory runs occur from June to November, offering significant opportunities for all fishing sectors. Sockeye were the first salmon to be commercially fished in the Pacific Region and the first to be canned in quantity, beginning in the 1870s.
Although ocean-going sockeye are silver with small black speckles, many people remember them for their vivid spawning colours. As they approach their home streams, sockeye turn brilliant scarlet with a green head by the time they reach their natal grounds. This striking transformation, along with their cultural, economic, and ecological importance, makes the sockeye a lasting symbol of the Pacific Region.
Identification
- Mouth: White with white gum line; small teeth.
- Tail: Moderately forked; no spots.
- Distinguishing features: No spots on back or tail; prominent, glassy eyes.
- Age at maturity: 4 to 5 years.
- Freshwater markings: Greenish head, red body.
- Flesh colour: Red.
- Size: 3–6 kg (6–13 lbs).
