There isn\u2019t a difference between freshwater salmon and saltwater salmon, as they\u2019re the same species. So, when you\u2019re trying to identify whether you\u2019re looking at a salmon freshwater or saltwater \u201cspecies,\u201d you need to know where the salmon spent its adulthood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s important to explore the question, \u201cWhere do salmon live?\u201d to understand how freshwater and saltwater salmon get their labels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Salmon are anadromous, meaning they spend a portion of their lives in the ocean and freshwater. To be more precise, they\u2019re born in freshwater, move to the ocean, and then return to freshwater to spawn. The length of time a salmon spends in the freshwater after they\u2019re born depends on the species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That said, not all salmon make it to the ocean. Instead, after a salmon is born, natural obstructions like waterfalls and human obstructions like dams can prevent them from reaching the sea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In these cases, salmon remain a strictly freshwater species, treating lakes as their \u201cocean\u201d and using streams or rivers to spawn as they normally would.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Non-anadromous fish would die by moving between freshwater and saltwater. However, salmon can do this because they have the ability to regulate sodium by moving it into and out of their bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When they\u2019re born in freshwater, salmon increase their body\u2019s sodium intake by using molecular pumps. They then remove excess sodium when they transition to saltwater to maintain the balance of sodium in their bodies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once salmon return to freshwater, their molecular pumps reverse, drawing in higher concentrations of sodium to maintain equilibrium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many people refer to salmon that can\u2019t access the ocean after they\u2019re born as \u201clandlocked.\u201d They also sometimes go by \u201clandlocked Atlantic salmon,\u201d helping people recognize that they\u2019re the same species as the standard Atlantic salmon<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other times, you\u2019ll hear these landlocked salmon called \u201cfreshwater salmon.\u201d However, don\u2019t let this terminology confuse you\u2014even landlocked salmon remain anadromous, with the ability to thrive in the ocean should they ever regain access to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might see other name variations between landlocked salmon and those that spend time in the ocean, such as with the Sockeye salmon. When caught in the ocean, fish markets often label these fish as Sockeye salmon. However, they usually use the term Kokanee salmon to refer to the landlocked version of this same species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In contrast, the following species of salmon usually don\u2019t change names regardless of whether they\u2019re landlocked or spend time in the ocean:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though they\u2019re the same species, a saltwater salmon often looks different from its freshwater version. These fish usually appear the healthiest in saltwater, and they typically have a brilliant silver to blue-like body color. They also often have black spots on their bodies with a back that\u2019s darker in color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Upon entering freshwater, a male salmon\u2019s back often becomes humped, and it develops a hooked jaw appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless of gender, most salmon bodies change color upon arriving in freshwater. They also usually lose their black spots, except Chinook and Atlantic salmon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Often, Sockeye salmon will turn a beautiful bright red color in freshwater. They do this to catch the eye of female Sokeyes for mating. In contrast, King salmon turn dark with a deep blackish brown color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, the seven Pacific salmon species become thin and sickly looking as they make their way from the ocean up freshwater streams. They even lose flesh along the way, which is most notable around their gums, making them look more \u201cteethy\u201d than when they\u2019re in the ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re wondering whether salmon freshwater or saltwater varieties eat better, the answer is that they almost always eat better when they\u2019re in saltwater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When they\u2019re in the ocean, salmon have an array of meal options, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In contrast, freshwater salmon often rely on a combination of insects and aquatic life to meet their nutritional needs. Examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there are some caveats to consider when looking at the eating habits of freshwater salmon. For starters, all salmon begin their lives in freshwater. During this time, they\u2019ll eat the foods described above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Should these young salmon become landlocked, they have no choice but to feed on these same foods for the rest of their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In contrast, saltwater salmon typically eat little to no food during their journey from the ocean into freshwater. Nevertheless, although anorexia is common among these migratory saltwater fish, fishermen have found occasional food in these salmon\u2019s stomachs.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although freshwater and saltwater salmon are the same species, they may display different behaviors depending on their environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, landlocked freshwater salmon will make their way from the freshwater river or stream where they\u2019re born to the deeper waters of a lake. There, they try to mimic the lives they\u2019d live in the ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In contrast, saltwater salmon move to the ocean to live their adult lives until they reach sexual maturity. During this time, they\u2019re at their maximum health. However, once they re-enter freshwater to spawn, their health usually deteriorates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n All salmon are born freshwater fish, but the length of time they stay there varies between species before attempting to make their way to the ocean. It goes as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you\u2019re doing salmon freshwater or saltwater fishing, it\u2019s crucial to follow local laws about when it\u2019s safe to fish for these species<\/a> and the size range you\u2019re allowed to keep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That way, you\u2019ll help contribute to sustainability so that this species can continue going through their freshwater and saltwater life cycles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I think by now we can all agree that the answer is… BOTH! They are incredibly versatile animals who have found a unique way to adapt to their unique circumstances. Or as Ian Malcom said in Jurassic Park, “Life finds a way.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There isn\u2019t a difference between freshwater salmon and saltwater salmon, as they\u2019re the same species. So, when you\u2019re trying to identify whether you\u2019re looking at a salmon freshwater or saltwater \u201cspecies,\u201d you need to know where the salmon spent its adulthood. The Nuances of Freshwater and Saltwater Salmon Habitats It\u2019s important to explore the question, … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/salmonfacts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/salmonfacts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/salmonfacts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salmonfacts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salmonfacts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=289"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/salmonfacts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":759,"href":"https:\/\/salmonfacts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289\/revisions\/759"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salmonfacts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/salmonfacts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salmonfacts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salmonfacts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Are Freshwater Salmon and Saltwater Salmon the Same?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Physical Differences Between Freshwater and Saltwater Salmon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Eating Behaviors of Freshwater vs. Saltwater Salmon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
How Freshwater and Saltwater Salmon Differ in Behavior<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
How Long Salmon Spend in Freshwater<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
A Note on Fishing Laws<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So Are Salmon Fresh or Saltwater Fish?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n