Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) are the smallest Pacific salmon found in North America. They mature in two years, so odd-year and even-year populations are essentially unrelated, and they make up Alaska’s largest commercial salmon harvest by number.[1]
| Scientific name | Oncorhynchus gorbuscha |
|---|---|
| Average weight | 3.5–4 lb |
| Average length | 20–25 in |
| Eggs per female | 1,500–2,000 |
| Life span | Two years |
| Alaska stream entry | Late June to mid-October |
Description
At sea, adults are greenish-blue on top with silvery sides and pink flesh. Spawning males develop a humped back and hooked jaws, and females turn olive green. Adults average 3.5 to 4 pounds and 20 to 25 inches long.[1]
Range
Pink salmon occur in Pacific and Arctic coastal waters from northern California to the Mackenzie River in Canada, and from Siberia’s Lena River to Korea.[1]
Life cycle and two-year cycle
Adults enter Alaska spawning streams from late June to mid-October. Each female carries 1,500 to 2,000 eggs, which are fertilised in a nest she digs, and adults usually die within two weeks of spawning. Eggs hatch in early to mid-winter, and fry emerge in late winter or spring and migrate to salt water, mostly at night. Because pink salmon mature in two years, odd-year and even-year populations are essentially unrelated, and one cycle often dominates a given stream. Most spawn within a few miles of the coast, often in intertidal zones or at stream mouths, over shallow riffles of coarse gravel or cobble.[1]
Fishery
The commercial harvest averaged 45.1 million fish from 1959 to 1992 and more than 107 million from 1997 to 2006, mostly by purse seine and gillnet. Sport anglers caught an average of 731,000 a year from 1996 to 2006, keeping about 154,600, and hatcheries release millions of fry each year to supplement wild stocks.[1]
FAQs
How long do pink salmon live? Two years.
Why are odd and even years different? Their two-year life cycle keeps the populations separate.
How big are they? About 3.5 to 4 pounds.
Sources
Key facts
- Two-year cycle
- 1,500–2,000 eggs
Quick checkHow long is the pink salmon life cycle?Show answer
Two years
Sources
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Pink Salmon, Wildlife Notebook Series. 2026 (accessed 2026-11-14)
Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 14, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue