Salmon Facts
A salmon is a ray-finned fish of the family Salmonidae that can live in fresh or salt water, and most hatch in rivers, grow up at sea, then return home to spawn.
- Class
- Fish
About the salmon
Salmon come from the North Atlantic and North Pacific basins, and their close relatives include trout, char and grayling. Most start life in shallow gravel beds in freshwater streams, spend their youth in rivers and lakes, then head to the ocean as adults. When ready to breed, they swim back to the stream where they were born. Tracking studies show this homing story is mostly true, and it relies on memory of smell.
Not every fish makes it home. Some stray and spawn in other rivers, and some populations never leave fresh water. Salmon are a major food fish and are farmed heavily, with Norway the top producer and Chile second. Anglers prize them too. Several species now live outside their native range, including the Great Lakes.
Did you know?
- Salmon is a common name, not a scientific one.
- Norway produces more farmed salmon than any other country.
- Fish that hatch in fresh water, live at sea and return to breed are called anadromous.
Questions about the salmon
Do salmon return to where they were born?
Mostly yes. Tracking studies show most return to their home stream, guided by smell memory, though some stray.
Where do salmon live?
They are native to North Atlantic and North Pacific waters, living in both rivers and the ocean.
Sources
- Wikidata Q2796766, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Salmon, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.