Salmon » Chum salmon
Details About Chum salmon
 a.k.a. Oncorhynchus keta, Alaskan salmon, Pacific salmon, dog salmon, calico salmon, chub, keta salmonHealth DetailsMore about seafood and health » |
Eco DetailsSalmon caught in Alaska (chinook/king, chum, coho, pink, sockeye) are among the better-managed fish stocks in the United States. Most Alaskan salmon populations are healthy, and fish are caught with gear that does little damage to the environment. Some wild salmon are caught off California, Oregon and Washington. Management there is stringent, but several populations are threatened by overfishing and habitat damage from dam construction, deforestation and urban development. |
More About Chum salmon
The steely gray-blue Chum salmon is born in freshwater streams and marine inlets, then travels to sea, where it lives most of its life, until it travels back upstream to its origin, where it spawns and dies. During spawning time, the fish changes to a gray-red on its sides. Chum salmon can grow up to 3 feet (0.9 meter) in length and may live up to 6 years.
Commercial Sources
Chum salmon are found in the North Pacific Ocean. In the eastern Pacific, they range from Arctic Alaska to California. In the western Pacific, they are distributed from the Bering Sea to Japan and Korea.
The main sources of chum salmon are Japan and the United States.
Capture Methods
Chum salmon come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught with purse seines and gillnets. Additional types of fishing gear include hooks-and-lines and traps.
Buying & Eating Guide
Flavor and Texture
Chum salmon has a paler meat color and lower oil content than most other salmon. The best specimens have a moderate oil content and reddish meat.
This guide is produced in collaboration with the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
