Salmon Facts

Alaska Salmon Facts

There are five species of wild Alaska salmon: sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka), king or chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), chum (Oncorhynchus keta), and pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha). Alaska salmon are anadromous, meaning they grow in the ocean, and spawn in the rivers. Salmon spawn only once in their lives.

King (Chinook) Salmon

King Salmon are the least abundant and largest of the Alaska Salmon. The King ranges from 30 to 40 inches in length, and weighs from 5 to 40 pounds. The largest officially recorded king weighed 126 pounds, but larger fish to 135 pounds are reported.

Most Kings are sold fresh or frozen, but a modest number are canned in some remote areas. King average only 1% by fish of the annual Alaska Salmon harvest and 3.7% by weight.

Prime or first quality red King Salmon are the most valuable of Alaskan Salmon owing to their size, flesh color, fat content and texture. Kings were the first Salmon canned but now only a few very select fish are canned for the specialty trade. These Salmon have red flesh, a very high fat content and a firm succulent flesh.

Some prime, or first quality King Salmon have very light colored flesh and are called White Kings. These highly desirable and equally edible fish are used kippered or hot smoked, and are generally marketed in smoked sides or as slices, steaks and fillets.

Courtesy of Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute