Alaska
>> Species >> Sockeye
Salmon
Alaska Sockeye Salmon
Sockeye Salmon
Scientific Name: Oncorhynchus
Nerka
Market Names: Salmon, Sockeye,
Red, Blueback
Vernacular Names: Red fish, Spring-run
Salmon, Summer Sockeye
Description: Sockeye salmon have
dark blue-black backs, silvery sides and white bellies. The
average size is 6-9 pounds and are 4-5 years of age. The Sockeye's
flesh is ruby red in color and is the most sought after salmon
in Alaska due to it's wonderful flavor and color. The Sockeye
salmon accounts is second to the Pink salmon in total
run size.
Life Cycle: There are several
stages to the life cycle of Sockeye salmon, eggs-alevins-fry-smolt-adult-spawning
adult. An adult salmon deposits her eggs in gravel beds (also
called redds) in freshwater streams and rivers. Once the eggs
have been fertilized by the male salmon the embryos will incubate
over the winter months and then hatch into alevins in late winter.
In the alevins phase of life the salmon take on a strange appearance
having large eyes, a ballooning orange sack and pencil like
body. Approximately 4 months after becoming an alevin the young
salmon changes into a fry. A salmon fry averages 1 inch in length,
has an elongated body and is free swimming. A sockeye fry will
spend up to two years living in fresh water before migrating
to sea. A fry blossoms into a smolt when it is ready to head
to the ocean were it will stay until it matures into an adult
salmon. An adult Sockeye salmon will feed and continue to grow
until it reaches maturity at four to five years of age. The
mature female salmon will begin its journey back to its place
of origin were it will deposit its bounty of eggs and then die,
continuing the salmon life cycle.
Run Times: Sockeye salmon runs
are typically seen in south central Alaska starting in late
May and ending in the early part of August.
Record weight sport caught sockeye salmon:
16 lbs. caught by Chuck Leach in 1974 while fishing on the Kenai
River.
Nutritional Information: One
½ lb. fillet of Sockeye Salmon has 332.6 calories, 42.1
grams of protein, 16.9 grams of fat, 2.9 grams of saturated
fat and 93 milligrams of sodium.
Seafood Nutrition
Table
Click on the link below to learn about other
wild salmon species.
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Wild Sockeye Salmon Online
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