Migrating ocean fish
Salmon lives in the North Atlantic, in the rivers of North America, in the Atlantic waters surrounding Europe, from Portugal to the White, North and Baltic seas. Populations of these fish are also found in Lakes Ladoga and Onega.
Salmon can reach a length of up to 150 cm and weigh up to 24 kg.
These fish feed on crustaceans and fish, and in younger stages on planktonic crustaceans and insect larvae.
The favorite food of adult salmon is capelin, also known as capelin. This is a small fish that grows to about 20 cm.
Salmon lives in the seas and oceans, but during reproduction they migrate to rivers. During migration, these fish are guided by the smell of water.
When crossing the barrier of salt and fresh water, physiological and biochemical changes occur in the body of these fish.
Salmon spawn in the fall in cold, well-oxygenated waters with strong currents. During spawning, the female lays about 30 eggs.
The length of newly hatched salmon is 2 cm. Young fish spend the first 2-3 years of their lives in rivers and then migrate to the sea. After spending another 2-3 years in sea waters, the fish return to the river to spawn.
During spawning, female salmon change color to reddish, and the lower jaw takes on the shape of a hook.
Most salmon die after spawning.
Salmon do not require seawater to function properly.
The greatest threat to salmon during spawning is dams on rivers that impede their migration.
A specimen of Atlantic salmon caught in Scotland in 1960 in the Hope River basin weighed 49.44 kg.
In the 80s, the salmon population in Polish rivers completely died out.
Man fished for salmon in rivers hundreds of years ago. Fishing was carried out with special handmade nets.
Currently, most salmon intended for consumption is grown in special aquacultures. Only 0,5% of all salmon supplied to the food industry comes from fisheries.
Research has been conducted on the cryopreservation of artificially fertilized salmon eggs.
Most salmon aquacultures are located in Norway, Chile, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Russia, the Faroe Islands, Tasmania and Australia.
In medieval Scotland, King Robert I already introduced legal regulations regarding salmon fishing and banned poaching in 1318. If you catch a poacher illegally fishing for salmon twice, you face the death penalty.
The color of the meat of these fish is due to the presence of carotenoids, mainly astaxanthin and canthaxanthin. These compounds enter the body of salmon when they eat krill and other marine crustaceans.
Salmon meat is a source of vitamins A, D, E, B vitamins and a large amount of protein.
It is an oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids.