Salmon
Salmo salar
Also known as: Atlantic Salmon, Black Salmon, Common Atlantic Salmon, Grilse, Kelt
About This Species
An anadromous fish, it is most visible during its upstream spawning migration, leaping falls and rapids in clear rivers before pairing over gravel redds in shallow, fast-flowing water. Autumn is the best season to watch spawning runs from riverbanks or dedicated viewing points near falls and fish passes, where the fish are concentrated and easiest to see without entering the water.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Watch from the bank or established viewing platforms rather than wading into spawning areas, since redds and eggs are easily damaged underfoot and this species is listed as Near Threatened, warranting extra care around breeding fish.
- Salmon fishing and handling are tightly regulated by permit, season and method across its range, and rules differ significantly between countries and even individual rivers, so check local regulations before any contact.
- Never disturb fish on redds or handle spawning individuals.
NTNaNSalmoniformesSalmonidae
Seasonal Activity
840,573 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- NaN
- Order
- Salmoniformes
- Family
- Salmonidae
Photo
(c) stproc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.