By Kayla Arseneault

By Kayla Arseneault

Atlantic Salmon

TaxonomyKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: Chordata

Class: Osteichthyes or ActinopterygiiOrder: Salmoniformes

Family: SalmonidaeGenus: Salmo

Species: Salmo Salar

of the Atlantic Salmon

CharacteristicsAtlantic Salmon are Anandromous fish.

They are grey with scattered black dots all over their bodies and have large scales. Some also have a dark line that goes horizontally along their sides called the “Lateral Line” (on some fish, this line is easier to spot because it is darker in colour.)

Atlantic Salmon are great Osmolregulators,which is extremely important for these fish.

Small Salmon: Less than 63cm fork length

Large Salmon: Greater than 63cm fork length.

Habitat

Life CycleEggs

Alevin

ParrFry

GrilseSmolts

Large Salmon

Eggs

Alevin

Fry

Parr

Smolts

Grilse

Large Salmon

Respiration and Circulation

ReproductionMost Salmon go back to water where they were born to spawn

Atlantic Salmon can die after spawning for the first time, although some are able to spawn 2 or 3 more times.

The number of eggs a female lays depends on her weight.

A female laying her unfertilized eggs.

NutritionYoung Salmon

Older SalmonWhen grilse and large salmon are travelling back

to spawn, they hardly eat at all. They have enough energy that they don’t have too eat much, and there wouldn’t be enough food for all of the Salmon that travel to the spawning grounds to begin with.

Black Flies Herring Smelts Small Cod

Predators

Marine Mammals such as sea lions, dolphins, porpoises, seals and otters are predators of salmon. Other predators include bears, other larger fish and birds. Also, humans fishing too

often can cause overfishing easily with species like Atlantic Salmon.

Special Adaptations

oAtlantic Salmon have a very sleek design, which allows them to swim fast away from predators and allows them to be predators themselves.o Their fins allow them to stay balanced, steer easily through the different currents and can help keep them on a straight path.o They use their back fin as a propeller.oSalmon have a Swim Bladder, which gives them a natural buoyancy in water.

oSalmon have what is called a “Lateral Line” which allows them to detect the movements of other fish and ocean currents, to help them find their way upstream when travelling, plus it assists them by locating the upwelling currents that will give them a boost when it is jumping. oTheir vision is spectacular. They have polarized vision. Polarization is the “phenomenon in which waves of light or other radiation are restricted in direction of vibration”, an example being the sunlight on water. Salmon are also able to see considerably far distances in clear water.

Interesting FactsThere is an Atlantic Salmon at the Top of the New Brunswick Coat of

Arms.

The highest jump ever recordedfor a Salmon was 3.7 meters

high !

Interesting Facts Continued

This is the Atlantic Salmon Monument in Cambellton, New Brunswick.

Atlantic Salmon are very important to our own

communities’ economy. Fishing is one of Miramichi’s greatest forms of Revenue.

Fly Fishing

Club