Contents
Salmon species of fish are one of the most massive inhabitants of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, as well as fresh water reservoirs located in the northern hemisphere. The most famous and constantly occurring representatives of this family are fish such as trout, salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, salmon, coho salmon, seal, whitefish, sockeye salmon and others. These fish are characterized by remarkable taste characteristics. In this regard, their meat is used in cooking for the preparation of both typical, ordinary dishes, and for the preparation of gourmet dishes of haute cuisine, as a serving on festive tables. Do not forget that salmon are the source of such a delicacy as red caviar.
This article will talk about the features of the life of salmon, their way of life, about the beneficial properties and about fishing for this fish.
Descriptions of fish of the salmon family
It should be noted that salmon, in turn, are divided into several subspecies, such as salmon, grayling and whitefish.
Appearance
According to researchers, a similar species of fish arose in the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era. Currently, salmon, in their appearance, resemble herring. Salmon, depending on the type, can grow in length from several tens of cm to 2 m, or even 2,5 m. One of the longest representatives of this genus are whitefish. At the same time, their weight can have several tens of kg.
Individual specimens of chinook, taimen or salmon reach a mass of 60 to 100 kg. Salmon live for a short time, about 10 years on average, although centenarians can also be found, for example, taimen lives up to almost 50 years.
The salmon family is distinguished by a pursuing and, at the same time, laterally compressed body, on which round scales are located. The fins are located in the middle of the belly. They can be easily distinguished from other types of fish by the presence of a small adipose fin. In these types of fish, the air bladder is connected to the esophagus, and the skeleton is not as bony as in other types of fish. For example, the skull is not made of solid bone, but cartilage.
Habitat
Representatives of the salmon genus inhabit both salty and fresh water bodies. Salt water bodies are seas and oceans, and rivers are fresh water. They inhabit the fresh waters of the North African continent, as well as the North American continent, in large numbers.
At the same time, attention should be drawn to the fact that salmonids prefer conditions characteristic of the cold hemisphere. As for the warm hemisphere, salmon can only be found under conditions of artificial breeding. In Russia, salmonids are found in the Far East, in Kamchatka, near the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. It is in these areas that they are engaged in the industrial catch of these types of fish.
Spawning
Representatives of this genus of fish, which inhabit the seas and oceans in nature, move to freshwater rivers before spawning. Being in the rivers, at this moment salmon get the status of migratory fish. Some of these species can initially live in fresh water, namely in lakes. What is most entertaining is that they go to spawn in those places where they were born earlier. Salmon spawn in the second or third year of their lives. Another very interesting fact from their lives: they go to spawning grounds for the first and last time in their lives. After the fish has spawned, it all dies, being then a food base for many animals living in the spawning areas. Such a life path is followed by salmonids living in the Pacific Ocean, such as pink salmon, chum salmon, sockeye salmon, etc. As for the salmon that live in the Atlantic Ocean, not all individuals die after spawning. At the same time, some individuals lay eggs at least 4-5 times during the period of their life.
Before and during the spawning process, salmon undergo major changes, especially in terms of color. Individuals become brighter, decorated with spots of red or black, and a hump forms in males. Pink salmon got its name based on this fact. Despite this, some species quite often change their colors, depending on the environmental conditions.
Types of salmon fish and their names
There are a lot of species, so it will not be possible to talk about all of them, but it makes sense to talk about the most interesting and most popular ones that have specific differences.
Salmon
Salmon is also called “northern” or “noble” salmon. Salmon is one of the most valuable fish of this family. It is distinguished by tasty and tender meat, which contains a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals. Its most common population is in the White Sea.
Its body, from 1 to 1,5 meters long, is covered with scales of a silver hue, without spots characteristic of salmon species of fish on the sides. The salmon diet consists of small fish. During the period of active reproduction practically refuses to eat. When salmon go to spawning grounds, they can be identified by prominent red or orange spots that appear on the body of the fish.
Pink salmon
It is quite easy to distinguish pink salmon from other representatives of this kind by very small scales of a silver hue, as well as the presence of a large number of spots in the tail area. During the spawning period, pink salmon greatly transforms its appearance, as well as coloring. Females turn almost black, especially the head and fins, while males grow teeth and a hump forms on the back.
Pink salmon grows up to 65-70 cm in length, no more. Habitat – Pacific Ocean and Atlantic. During the spawning period, pink salmon moves into rivers, both on the North American mainland and in Russian Siberia. At the same time, it does not rise far against the current.
Pink salmon has rather large caviar, reaching a size of 5 to 8 mm. After spawning, all fish die. Pink salmon starts spawning at the age of three or four. The diet of pink salmon includes small fish, mollusks and crustaceans. According to many scientists, pink salmon is a relatively heat-loving fish, as it enters areas for wintering, where the water does not cool below +5 degrees. Pink salmon belongs to valuable varieties of commercial types of fish and is considered a recognized seafood worldwide. They tried to breed pink salmon in other water bodies, but it did not take root.
Keta
Ketu can also be attributed to the most famous types of fish. It is characterized by a silvery color without any extraneous stripes or spots. During the spawning period, it acquires an almost black color. It can be found in the Pacific Ocean, and for spawning it comes to its places, which are located in the upper reaches of such Siberian rivers as the Kolyma, Lena, Yana, Amur and others.
There are two forms of this fish:
- autumn, as the largest, about 1 m long.
- summer, no more than 70-80 cm in length.
Chum salmon has rather large caviar (7-8 mm) and is a valuable commercial species.
Red salmon
Sockeye salmon is especially common in the Pacific Ocean, but is not very famous in Russia, as it is usually caught off the coast of Asia or off the coast of Alaska. Sockeye salmon is distinguished by the presence of a large number of gill rakers, as well as the bright red color of the meat, compared to the meat of other salmon. They have a soft pink color.
She has rather small caviar (4-5 mm), compared to other types of salmon fish. Grows up to 70-80 cm in length. The sockeye salmon feeds on small crustaceans. There are two types of sockeye. This is due to the fact that these subspecies spawn in different periods:
- spring;
- summer or autumn.
Coho
The main habitat of this fish is the Pacific Ocean, and coho salmon spawns in the waters of the North American mainland and Asia. Coho salmon has silvery scales of a bright shade, which is why it is also called “silver salmon”. Basically, coho coho grows up to 60 cm in length, although there are individuals up to 80 cm in size. Coho salmon spawns from September to March, which can be characterized by the presence of ice on the surface of the reservoir. During this period, females and males change their color to a bright crimson color.
At the same time, coho salmon is considered to be a rather heat-loving fish, since it winters in places where the water does not cool below +5°C, and in some places even +9°C.
Chinook
It is considered the most valuable fish of the salmon family. In addition, it is considered their largest representative. It can gain weight up to 50 kg, with a length of 80-90 cm. It can be distinguished by its characteristic gill rays, of which it can count at least fifteen.
It can be found near the North American continent, while it can spawn in the rivers of the Far East. Chinook salmon spawn throughout the summer. Moreover, the fish makes depressions in the bottom with its tail and lays eggs. Chinook salmon live for at least seven years, while its average life expectancy is 4-5 years. Chinook salmon feeds on small fish. Chinook salmon has nutritious red meat, therefore, it is caught in large quantities.
Bathrobe
This fish, which is found in the Russian Baltic, Black, White and Aral Seas, is also called salmon – taimen. It is considered an anadromous fish and goes to spawning grounds located in European rivers. They grow up to 47 cm in length, reaching from two to five kilograms of weight. Despite this, you can find individual specimens weighing up to 15 kg. Brown trout are also caught commercially because of the tasty and healthy meat. The brown trout prefers to lead an interesting way of life: it goes to spawn in the upper reaches of the rivers, does not migrate over long distances, prefers fresh water bodies, in which it spends most of its existence.
Brown trout, which is found in the Azov and Black Seas, is called the “Black Sea salmon”.
Whitefish
It is a small representative of the salmon family, which can be found in both salt and fresh water. On average, the life expectancy of a whitefish is 7-10 years. Although there are individuals who have lived up to twenty years and have grown in length up to 50 cm.
The fish has a silver hue and dark fins. As a rule, several subspecies of whitefish are distinguished, which practically do not differ from one another. At the same time, one feature of whitefish should be mentioned: they have white meat, compared to other representatives of salmon.
Nelma
Nelma belongs to the whitefish subfamily, but, unlike other relatives of this subfamily, it can grow up to 1,3 meters in length, with a weight of about 30 kg.
This fish does not like salt water, and is found mainly in the rivers of the cold hemisphere. Going out to sea, she tries to stick to desalinated areas of the water area. It has commercial interest, as it is characterized by tasty and nutritious meat.
Taimen
This fish is divided into common, Sakhalin, Korean and Danube taimen. These species differ in appearance due to specific habitat conditions. Common taimen, as a rule, is found on the Amur River and large lakes. It differs from the Danubian congener in a smaller number of stamens on the gills.
Sakhalin taimen is an anadromous fish. It can grow up to one meter in length, while gaining weight from 20 to 30 kilograms. Taimen is a valuable commercial fish. It feeds on small fish.
Lenok
Lenok is distinguished by a dark color, with a golden tint. It spawns with rather small caviar, and in appearance it resembles whitefish.
This type of fish is found in the rivers of the Far East, as well as Siberia. Its diet includes the larvae of various insects. Like most salmon species, lenok is among the commercial fish.
Trout
Who hasn’t heard of trout? This representative of the salmon genus inhabits large lakes, such as Onega and Ladoshskoe. Trout can be found in Karelia and in the White Sea and Baltic basins.
Depending on its habitat, brook (common) and lake trout are distinguished. This fish prefers freshwater reservoirs with crystal clear and cold water. At the same time, it can have a peculiar color. Trout spawns in autumn and winter. Trout feeds on a variety of foods, ranging from insect larvae to small fish.
There are several varieties of trout:
- alpine;
- Scottish;
- European;
- American, etc.
Trout stands out for its very tasty meat, so it is commercially caught. Along with the industrial catch, trout is also bred in artificial reservoirs on an industrial scale. This type of fish is an object of fishing, both for amateur anglers and for anglers-sportsmen.
Ishkhan
This fish is found in Lake Sevan and means “prince” in translation. Ishkhan spawning occurs in a certain period of the year. Their usual color is silver, but during the spawning period, the fish changes its color to dark, with bright red spots that appear on the body of individuals. Ishkhan spawns at the bottom of the lake. Individual individuals gain weight of 15 kg, but the average size of this fish is within 30 cm, with a mass of about half a kilogram. Ishkhan contains very appetizing meat, from which you can cook true delicacies.
The salmon family has a large number of fish species that are valued for their excellent taste. Some of the species are anadromous, while others are freshwater, but all of them are of great commercial importance.