The Pink Salmon

By Staff - Jun 15, 2003

The Pink Salmon is the smallest of the Pacific Salmon. The Pink is also known as the "Humpy", due to the large hump that Male Pink Salmon grow as they approach spawning. An average weight for a Pink is around 5 pounds. The Fraser River, and the North Shores' Indian River receive strong Pink Salmon runs. The Pink Salmon shows up in its strongest numbers in odd numbered years, where millions of fish move up the Fraser River.

Mature Pink salmon return to natal rivers to spawn in late summer. May hold off of mouth for several days or weeks before migrating upstream to spawn. They spawn in September or October in gravel reaches of rivers or streams. Adults die soon after spawning. Eggs hatch from late-December to late February and alevins remain in gravel until emergence from March to May. Fry migrate immediately downstream to estuary. Fry school once they reach estuary. They only remain in tidal channels several days, but rear in shallow (less than 1 m) nearshore water for 1-2 weeks. Move to deeper water as they grow. Leave inshore water in late summer and migrate to open ocean. Extensive feeding migration occurs in northeast Pacific over the next 18 months. Return as 2 year olds to spawn and die. The 2-year cycle is so invariable that adult runs in odd-calendar years are separate from even-year runs, and stocks are referred to as odd or even year. Adults may reach about 76 cm.

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