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The commonly used answer is eight salmon species: seven Pacific salmon and one Atlantic salmon. Five Pacific species occur in North American waters, while masu and amago occur in Asia. The Atlantic species is Salmo salar.
The eight salmon species in the standard count
The U.S. Geological Survey’s species count divides salmon into seven Pacific species and one Atlantic species. This is a biological-species count, not a count of every fish that has “salmon” in a common name.
| Group | Species or common names | Where this count places them |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific salmon in North American waters | Chinook (king), coho (silver), chum (dog or keta), sockeye (red), and pink (humpback) | North American Pacific waters |
| Additional Pacific salmon | Masu and amago | Asia |
| Atlantic salmon | Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) | Atlantic Ocean basin |
Chinook salmon
Chinook, also called king salmon, is one of the five Pacific salmon species recognized in North American fisheries management.
Coho salmon
Coho is also known as silver salmon. It is another North American Pacific species in the standard count.
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Chum salmon
Chum is sometimes called dog salmon or keta. It belongs to the North American group of Pacific salmon.
Sockeye salmon
Sockeye, often called red salmon, is one of the five Pacific species found in North American waters.
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Pink salmon
Pink salmon is also called humpback salmon. It completes the five-species North American Pacific group.
Masu and amago
Masu and amago are the two Asian species included in the U.S. Geological Survey’s seven-species Pacific total.
Atlantic salmon
Atlantic salmon is the single salmon species native to the Atlantic Ocean. Its scientific name is Salmo salar.
Why some sources give a different number
Geography changes the answer
Counting only Pacific salmon found in North American waters gives five: Chinook, coho, chum, sockeye, and pink. Adding the Asian species masu and amago produces seven Pacific salmon, and adding Atlantic salmon produces the familiar total of eight.
Genus counts are broader than salmon counts
Pacific salmon belong to the genus Oncorhynchus. Fisheries and Oceans Canada recognizes eleven species in that genus in Pacific Ocean regions, but its definition includes trout and other members that are not normally counted as salmon in the everyday species list. Therefore, eleven Oncorhynchus species is a broader genus figure, not a replacement for the eight-salmon answer.
Management lists have a limited scope
Agencies may list the species covered by a particular regional management program. NOAA’s West Coast list and Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s southern Pacific salmon plan each identify the five North American Pacific salmon species relevant to those programs. Such lists describe program scope rather than a worldwide taxonomic total.
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Is steelhead a type of salmon?
No. Steelhead is the migratory form of rainbow trout. It is often mistakenly added as an eighth Pacific salmon, but it is a trout and is listed separately from the five North American Pacific salmon species. The standard count remains seven Pacific salmon plus one Atlantic salmon.
Atlantic and Pacific salmon have different life histories
Most Pacific salmon die shortly after spawning. Atlantic salmon do not necessarily die after spawning and can survive to spawn again, although repeat spawning has become increasingly rare. These are general patterns, not rules that apply to every individual fish.
What salmon is sold in U.S. markets?
In the United States, commercial fishing for Atlantic salmon is prohibited. Atlantic salmon found in U.S. seafood markets is farm-raised. This market statement is specific to the United States and does not describe seafood markets in other countries or the availability of Pacific salmon.
Quick Recap
Bottom line on the count
- Eight is the standard answer: seven Pacific salmon species and one Atlantic salmon species.
- Five Pacific species occur in North American waters: Chinook, coho, chum, sockeye, and pink.
- Masu and amago are the two Asian species included in the seven-species Pacific count.
- Atlantic salmon is Salmo salar; Pacific salmon are in Oncorhynchus.
- Steelhead is rainbow trout, not an additional salmon species in this count.
- Always check whether a source is counting common-name salmon, a geographic management list, or every species in the broader Oncorhynchus genus.
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