Salmon Life Cycle                                                                                                       Back

Eggs
The salmon starts its life as one of 7000 eggs laid by the hen salmon in a depression in the rived bed known as a Redd.

Alevins
These are newly hatched Salmon with attached yolk sacs. Born in Early Spring the alevins remain safe under the gravel for a few weeks until the food in their yolks run out. Then the tiny fish will emerge as free swimming fry about an inch long.

Fry
On emergence from the gravel fry begin feeding on invertebrates drifting down with the current. Only 10% of Fry survive to the next stage on life.

Parr
Once they have grown above finger size the prettily marked young salmon are known as parr.

Smolt
Each spring the largest parr become silvery smolts and start to drift downstream at night towards the sea. Salmon reach the smolt stage after 2 years. They travel in shoals hear the surface and head out to sea on their way to the main feeding grounds.

Salmon at Sea
The salmon feed in the North Sea near Greenland and the Faeroes. They feed on a diet of crustaceans, sand eels, capelin and herrings. Salmon tend to double their weight each year some return to their rivers after one winter at sea. These are called grilse and average 4 - 5 lbs on their return. Most however stay at sea a number of years and weigh up to 20 lbs.

Returning Adults
At the onset of maturity the salmon begin their journey back to the rivers of their birth. Finding their way back with the help of the stars and the earth's magnetic fields. On reaching costal waters salmon can locate their home rivers by smell. In dry weather they remain at the estuaries where they fall victim to net fishermen and seals. When the rivers rise because of the rain they immediately head up stream.

Breeding Adults
After a few weeks in fresh water salmon loose their silver coats and begin to develop a colorful breeding dress. The male develops a hooked lower jaw known as a kype. Spawning takes place between October and January. The hen digs a series of depressions in the riverbed called redds. She lays the eggs, which are simultaneously fertilized by the adult male. The hen then covers the fertilized eggs with gravel. Most adult salmon die after spawning, those who do not are called kelts. Kelts make their way to the feeding grounds.

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