Pink salmon with their vibrant coral colored flesh are one of the most affordable and abundant salmon species found in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. But what exactly do these striking fish eat? Let’s take a closer look at the diet and feeding habits of pink salmon throughout their short 2-year life cycle.
Diet of Juvenile Pink Salmon
After emerging from their gravel nests in freshwater streams and rivers, young pink salmon fry immediately migrate downstream towards the ocean. During this journey, pink salmon fry generally do not feed much in the river itself. However, some populations that spawn farther upstream may occasionally snack on aquatic insects and zooplankton as they swim towards the sea.
Once pink salmon reach the rich saltwater estuaries, they begin actively feeding and growing. At this juvenile stage, the diet of pink salmon consists of tiny plankton, including copepods, amphipods, and rotifers. They also eat the larvae of other aquatic invertebrates and small worms.
Estuaries provide highly productive nursery areas for pink salmon fry to bulk up on nutritious plankton before heading out to deeper ocean waters. These productive coastal habitats allow young pink salmon to grow rapidly during their first few months at sea.
Diet of Adult Pink Salmon in the Ocean
As they grow, pink salmon move offshore and spend most of their 18-month ocean residence feeding in the open waters of the Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands and other areas of the northern Pacific.
The adult diet of pink salmon in the ocean consists mainly of larger zooplankton, including krill, mysids, and shrimp. Herring, sand lance, capelin, and other small schooling fish make up a large portion of their diet as well.
In addition, adult pink salmon opportunistically eat squid, marine worms, amphipods, and even the occasional terrestrial insect that falls into the ocean The diverse marine foods pink salmon eat during their ocean phase provides the important omega-3 fatty acids, energy, and nutrients they need to grow and spawn
The carotenoid pigments of the crustaceans in their ocean diet, especially krill and shrimp, are what give pink salmon flesh its distinctive rosy hue. Without these pigments, their meat would be white like other salmon species.
Pink Salmon Stop Feeding When They Return to Freshwater
During their migration back to their natal streams to spawn, adult pink salmon stop actively feeding altogether. At this point, they rely on stored fat and nutrients accumulated during ocean feeding to fuel their strenuous journey upstream.
By the time pink salmon enter the coastal rivers and streams to start their spawning rituals, they are remarkably deteriorated and battered from their ocean journey. Although some instinctively strike at bait and lures, pink salmon do not actually consume any additional food at this late mature stage.
After spawning is completed, the adult pink salmon die within a couple weeks, relying solely on their remaining energy reserves. The next generation of pink salmon fry hatch during winter and early spring, soon emerging from the gravel to start the cyclical journey to the sea and begin feeding again.
North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC)
Comprised of Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and the United States, the NPAFC prohibits commercial fishing for all Pacific salmon beyond national boundaries the 200-mile zone of the coastal states and works together to prohibit targeting salmon by commercial fishing boats in international waters, and minimize by-catch of salmon.
Status, Trends, and Threats
The global population of pink salmon are not currently in danger. However, local populations have decreased in some areas such as California and Washington. There are no pink salmon populations protected by the Endangered Species Act. Pink salmon populations in Alaska are well-managed and stable.
One threat to pink salmon is overfishing. Commercial canning and salting of pink salmon in Alaska began in the 1800s and expanded steadily until about 1920. During territorial days, commercial fishermen used fixed and floating fish traps to extensively harvest pink salmon. A push to ban such traps helped propel Alaska to statehood in 1959. Runs declined markedly during the 1940s and 1950s; however, intensive efforts were successful in rebuilding those runs, and enhancing them through hatcheries to take pressure off of wild stocks. Now most pink salmon are taken with purse seines and drift or set gillnets. Lesser numbers are taken with troll gear or beach seines.
Other threats to pink salmon include habitat loss or degradation, particularly to their spawning grounds as they prefer shallow areas with moderate to fast water current and clean gravel with little silt or mud. Climate change may also reduce the availability of their prey in the ocean.
- Size 18”- 25” long and between 3- 5.5 lbs
- Diet in freshwater Adults returning to spawn do not eat. Young salmon migrating to the ocean may eat aquatic insects and zooplankton.
- Diet in saltwater Plankton, marine shrimp and krill, other smaller fish, squid, and the occasional aquatic insect.
- Predators Anything larger than them including killer whales, bears, birds, and humans just to name a few.
- Reproduction A female lays between 1,200 and 1,900 eggs during spawning June through late October. Eggs incubate over winter for 5-8 months and hatch in late winter or early spring. Fry migrate to saltwater as soon as they emerge from the gravel. They feed for 18 months in the ocean, and return to spawn and die at two years of age.
- Ocean-Phase Identifying Characteristics Mouth is white with a black gum line Very small or almost no teeth, and no “teeth” on the tongue Large oval spots on both lobes of tail Large black spots on back Pointed lower jaw No silver on tail Very small scales compared to other salmon that are of similar size
- Remarks The Alaska Department of Fish and Game manages pink salmon in fresh waters of the state and in saltwater up to 3 miles from shore.
- Other names Humpback salmon, humpy
- Pink salmon are called the “bread and butter” fish in many Alaskan coastal fishing communities because of its importance to our commercial fisheries which in turn support local economies.
- Pink salmon are also called “humpback salmon” or “humpy” because of the enormous hump males develop before they spawn.
- There are more pink salmon than any other wild Pacific salmon.
- Pink salmon are the smallest salmon found in North America.
- Pink salmon occasionally interbreed with chum salmon. Some people call the resulting fish “chumpys”.
- Pink salmon were accidentally introduced to Lake Superior in 1956 and became an established population which spread throughout the Great Lakes and still remains today. Pink salmon in the Great Lakes are the only population known to complete their entire life cycle in fresh water.
- Young salmon are not neutrally buoyant. When they emerge from the gravel they must swim to the surface and “munch” air bubbles to transfer to their swim bladder so they don’t sink to the bottom.
Pink salmon continue to be one of the most important of the Pacific salmon for commercial fisherman in Alaska. While pink salmon have less commercial value than other salmon because of their lower oil content, commercially caught pink salmon today are canned, filleted and flash frozen, made into nuggets, and prepared into complete pre-packaged meals sold all over the world. Pink salmon are the most numerous of the salmon species caught in Alaska by commercial fisherman, usually by purse seine. The average annual Alaska harvest between 1959 and 1992 was 45.1 million pink salmon. Annual statewide commercial harvests have been around 100 million pink salmon since about 1990.
Pink salmon also contribute substantially to sport angling. From 1996 – 2006 sport fishermen in Alaska caught an average of 731,000 pink salmon each year, harvesting an annual average of 154,600 of these fish. While they’re relatively small size makes them less popular with sport anglers than other salmon species, pink salmon are excellent fish to catch. Pinks just returning to spawn will aggressively strike tackle and flies. They are also an excellent salmon for children to fish for because they’re easy to hook, and easy to land due to their smaller size. Pink salmon are also very good to eat when caught in the ocean, or just returning to spawn. Their pale flesh has a mild taste and excellent texture.
Pink salmon are dried or smoked by subsistence users in Alaska. In some areas of Alaska there are high harvests of pink salmon for subsistence purposes. In other areas, pink salmon are harvested when preferred salmon are not available.
Pink salmon are managed through a cooperative process involving various international, federal, tribal, and state actions.
Red or Pink Salmon? What’s the Difference?
FAQ
What do pink salmon eat?
Pink salmon feed on small crustaceans, zooplankton (tiny floating animals), squid, and small fish. In fresh water, aquatic invertebrates, other fishes, birds, and small mammals prey on pink salmon eggs, alevins, and fry.
Why do pink salmon only run every other year?
Pinks have a very regular life history, living for two years before returning to spawn the next generation. This is why pink runs in Washington only occur every other year; there are no one-year-old or three-year-old fish to establish runs in the other years.
What is the best lure to catch pink salmon?
A small B2 Squid on a 1/4 to 3/8 jighead is a great lure for catching Pink Salmon. I prefer the Hot Pink Glitter, Glitter Orange or Triple Glow Pink 2.5” rigged on either a Gamakatsu Round 26 Jighead or an Aerojig Twitching Jighead.
Do pink salmon eat shrimp?
Fast Facts. Adults returning to spawn do not eat. Young salmon migrating to the ocean may eat aquatic insects and zooplankton. Plankton, marine shrimp and krill, other smaller fish, squid, and the occasional aquatic insect.
Do pink salmon live in fresh water?
Unlike coho, Chinook, or sockeye salmon, pink salmon do not reside in fresh water for an extended period. Young pink salmon (fry) typically migrate directly to estuarine and marine waters soon after they are born. Once they reach the ocean, they feed voraciously and grow rapidly.
What animals eat Pink salmon?
Sharks, fish like Pacific halibut, and marine mammals like humpback whales prey on adults. Humans remain a major source of predation. Pink salmon adults face predation from a variety of animals such as bears. Though they begin life in fresh water, pink salmon fry quickly migrate to the ocean where they live most of their lives.
Where do people eat Pink salmon?
Commercial Value – People harvest millions of Pink Salmon They primarily catch them in Russia and Alaska. A small percentage of fish come from fish farms. People also use the fish eggs as caviar. These fish prefer cold habitats, and cannot survive in waters with higher temperatures. Their habitat changes based on their age.
Is pink salmon a good fish to eat?
With vibrant coral-colored flesh pink salmon is one of the most affordable and abundant salmon species found in the Pacific Northwest. But its reputation has suffered as a lower-quality fish primarily used for canning and processing. So are pink salmon good to eat when fresh?
Why do Alaskans eat Pink salmon?
Pink salmon are called the “bread and butter” fish in many Alaskan coastal fishing communities because of its importance to our commercial fisheries which in turn support local economies. Pink salmon are the smallest of the Pacific salmon found in North America weighing on average between 3.5 and 5 pounds, with an average length of 20-25 inches.
How do you eat Pink salmon?
Canning/smoking: Preserves pinks well but compromises fresh flavor and texture. Beyond eating the fillets pan-fried, here are excellent ways to use pink salmon: In pasta, salmon fried rice, risotto, seafood stews or tacos. Flakes beautifully when cooked. As salmon patties, croquettes, loaf, burgers, or salmon cakes. Binds well.