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Atlantic Salmon

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The Atlantic salmon is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Salmonidae, found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into it. Most populations are anadromous, which means they live in both fresh and saltwater. 

Habitat & Range

Atlantic Salmon are found in rivers and lakes within the Atlantic Provinces and inland as far West as Lake Ontario.

Diet

In fresh water, young salmon eat small insects, small amphibians, and fish.

When they're in the ocean, young and adult salmon eat a wide variety of prey, including fish (capelin, Atlantic herring), crustaceans (amphipods and krill), cephalopods (squid and octopus), and polychaete worms.

Adults stop eating altogether prior to beginning their spawn migration.

Scientific Name

Salmo salar

Conservation Status

Labrador Population - Not at Risk; Northeast Newfoundland Population - Not at Risk; South Newfoundland Population - Threatened; Southwest Newfoundland Population - Not at Risk; Northwest Newfoundland Population - Not at Risk.

Size

Adults average 70 to 80cm in length, and 8 to 12 lbs. However larger specimens have been observed of up to 30 lbs.

Population

The number of adults returning to Newfoundland in 2018 was estimated to be 252,400 small salmon and 22,900 large salmon.

The number of adults returning to Labrador in 2018 was estimated to be 285,000 small salmon and 45,900 large salmon.

Salmon in Newfoundland & Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador has over 60% of North America’s wild Atlantic Salmon rivers, hosting 174 scheduled salmon rivers. The province is also one of the only areas left where recreational angling of Atlantic Salmon is legal and regulated, making it a favourite past time and destination for tourists.

Organizations focused on conserving Atlantic Salmon, Salmonids, and their habitats in Newfoundland and Labrador include the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation (ASCF), the Salmonid Association of Eastern Newfoundland (SAEN), Salmonid Council of Newfoundland and Labrador (SCNL), Salmon Preservation Association for the Waters of Newfoundland (SPAWN), and the Salmon Conservation Foundation (ASF).

Salmon Rivers

Most populations of wild Atlantic Salmon are anadromous, hatching in streams and rivers but moving out to sea as they mature. The wild fish begin their life cycle with spawning and juvenile rearing in the freshwater rivers and streams, then migrate to saltwater to feed, grow and mature, before returning to rivers and moving upstream to spawn.

Salmon rivers are known for their salmon runs, the time of year when the ocean dwelling salmon swim against the stream to the upper reaches of rivers to reproduce. After spawning most Atlantic salmon die, and the salmon life cycle starts over again. The dazzling run can be a major event for predators, including birds of prey and humans.

THREATS

Atlantic salmon populations are exposed to many threats during their lifecycle. The most significant threats to their survival include obstructions, such as dams and culverts, that block their access to their habitat.

Other threats include low freshwater productivity, bycatch, poor water quality, degraded freshwater habitats from land use practices, fish diseases, predation from introduced and invasive species, and interbreeding with escaped fish raised on aquaculture farms.

CURRENT PROTECTIONS

The Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation Policy details how the Government of Canada will meet its responsibilities for the conservation of wild Atlantic salmon. 

further resources

ASCF Salmon Hub

The go-to resource for salmon conservation: best-practice guides, instruction manuals, videos, scientific research and more. Explore one of the topics below for key resources or search the entire database for the complete list of reference materials.

Salmonid Association of Eastern Newfoundland (SAEN)

Investing in the Future of our Salmon & Trout.

SPAWN

Salmon Preservation Association for the Waters of Newfoundland & Labrador

​Angler's Guide 2022-2023 for Newfoundland and Labrador

Published by Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Atlantic Salmon Fishway Counts

Published by Fisheries and Oceans Canada​

Canada’s Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation Policy

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Salmon - General Information

Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture

Hook and Release Study

Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture

Scheduled Salmon Rivers

Published by Fisheries and Oceans Canada​

Real-Time River Flow Data

Real-Time Hydrometric Data from Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Atlantic Salmon Federation

ASF is a world-leading science and advocacy organization dedicated to conserving and restoring wild Atlantic salmon.

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