Pacific and Atlantic salmon are both in the same family along with trout, but they have slightly different life cycles.
Both Pacific and Atlantic are able to live in both salt and fresh water. The fish are born in fresh water, and make their way to the open ocean to live. Six types of salmon are consumed in the United States (Atlantic, Chinook, Chum, Coho, Sockeye and Pink)
Atlantic Salmon
Only one species of Atlantic salmon, are originally from the Atlantic Ocean and primarily farmed raised. Atlantic salmon are large trout.
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Members of this species are silvery with large, black spots on their gill covers. Atlantic salmon are capable of breeding multiple times, and they tend to favor the same breeding spots year after year.
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Atlantic salmon is now extensively farm raised: primarily in Chile, Norway, Scotland, and British Columbia.
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Atlantic salmon are raised in net pens in open marine waters; in a conventional setup. Fish can escape the pens due to heavy storms, damage from boats, or just poor maintenance.
The wild caught stock of Atlantic salmon has been so reduced by over fishing that there is essentially NO wild Atlantic salmon left.
Pacific Salmon
Pacific Salmon are from the Pacific Ocean and harvested from wild fisheries in the Pacific Ocean Pacific salmon only spawn once before they die. Each generation, appears to have a memory for spawning spots and traveling routes
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King Salmon – also known as Chinook salmon.
Chinook salmon are the largest of the Pacific salmon, with some individuals growing to more than 100 pounds. These huge fish are rare, as most mature Chinook are under 50 pounds. Average size: 10-15 lbs, up to 135 lbs. King Salmon is the highest in fat and usually the most expensive.
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Silver Salmon also known as Coho. Average size:6-12 lbs, up to 31 lbs. Coho are a very popular sport fish. The most widely available autumn fresh salmon.
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Pink Salmon – also known as Humpback. Average size: 3-5 lbs, up to 12 lbs. Male pink salmon develop a large hump on their back during spawning, hence the nickname humpback salmon. This is the smallest of the fall-spawning Pacific salmon.
Dog Salmon – also known as Chum salmon. Average size:10-15 lbs, up to 33 lbs. Male Chum salmon develop large “teeth” during spawning, which resemble canine teeth. This many explain the nickname dog salmon.
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Sockeye Salmon – also known as Red salmon. Average size:5-8 lbs, up to 15 lbs. Sockeye are the most flavorful Pacific salmon.
Pacific salmon, like Atlantic salmon, are sleek and silvery in their marine phase, but once they enter fresh water, they go through significant physical changes, and each species has distinctive markings
The life cycles of natural populations of Atlantic and Pacific salmon are similar. Atlantic salmon spend one to four years in the ocean before returning to spawn in the freshwater stream where they were born. But Atlantic salmon don’t always die after they spawn. Atlantic salmon return to the sea, and repeat the migration and spawning pattern. Spawning takes a huge physiological toll on a salmon, and most Atlantic salmon do not survive to spawn a second or third time. Pacific salmon die after they spawn.
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Source Atlantic vs Pacific Salmon.