Salmon Life Stages    

Incubation

Emergence

Freshwater Rearing

Estuary Rearing

Estuary Ocean Transition

Ocean Residence

Spawning Migration

Spawning

Incubation

The female salmon chooses a site, digs a nest (redd) with her tail, then deposits eggs. One or more males fertilize the eggs. Each nest contains between 500 and 1,200 eggs. About 20 out of 100 eggs laid may survive to become fry.

Emergence

In late winter, the eggs hatch. Tiny alevins nestled in gravel live on the nutritious yolk "pot belly" on their undersides. While they have a yolk sac, alevins don't need to eat. Once the yolk sac is gone, they must find food quickly or they will starve.  

Freshwater Rearing

When juvenile salmon or fry emerge from the redd, they must find food immediately. Most feed on insects as they grow. Salmon fry may spend hours to years in freshwater, depending on the species. Sockeye spend the longest amount of time in freshwater (1-3 years). Pink and chum fry spend the least amount of time in freshwater and immediately move downstream toward estuaries.

Estuary Transition & Rearing

Saltwater meets freshwater in estuaries, making a mix called "brackish" water. When fry enter estuaries, they begin to adapt to saltwater ­ a process called "smoltification." This major change causes young salmon to become less active and more vulnerable to predators such as birds and larger fish. To survive, young salmon must find places to hide and feed. Ocean-bound young salmon may spend days or months in estuaries and nearshore waters as they adjust to saltwater and grow, getting ready for an ocean journey.  

Estuary Ocean Transition

At this stage, juvenile salmon travel from the protective waters of the estuary, along nearshore coastal areas, and into the open ocean.  

Ocean Residence

Depending on the species, salmon may feed and grow in the ocean from six months to five years. Most head north, following the coast. They may travel thousands of miles, heading into the Gulf of Alaska and points beyond. While at sea, salmon must evade predators such as larger fish, killer whales, dolphins, sea lions, and seals.  

Migration to Spawn

After one to seven years, depending on the species, salmon return to their home stream, river, or sometimes a lake to spawn. What causes adult salmon to move from ocean feeding grounds to their birthplace is not fully understood. Some scientists believe that salmon "smell" their way home, remembering smells along the way.  

Spawning

When salmon enter enter freshwater to spawn, they stop eating. They lose their shiny, silvery colors; males may take on bright body colors, a hooked nose, and large teeth. Females may develop darker colors. Some species, such as steelhead may spawn more than once. Most salmon species die within one week of spawning. The dead salmon are not wasted. Their decomposing bodies add important nutrients to the stream or river. Dead and decaying salmon also provide food for a wide range of wildlife including bald eagles, bear, mink, and river otter.  

Saving Salmon

• Salmon need healthy estuaries and nearshore waters to migrate, thrive, and survive a complex life cycle.
• Population growth and development along Puget Sound have contributed to declines in salmon populations.