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Salmon comes from both wild fisheries and fish farms. In the United States, wild salmon is mainly Pacific salmon caught in fisheries, while NOAA says all Atlantic salmon sold in U.S. seafood markets is farm-raised. The exact origin of a fillet—or salmon listed in a pet-food ingredient panel—depends on its species and the harvest or farm location stated by the seller or manufacturer.
Salmon comes from more than one species and supply chain
“Salmon” is a common name for several fish, not a single species with one point of origin. Pacific salmon such as Chinook, sockeye, coho, chum and pink are caught in fisheries; Atlantic salmon is widely raised in aquaculture. Species, production method and geographic origin are separate pieces of information: knowing the species alone does not identify where a particular fish was caught or raised.
Many salmon hatch and grow in freshwater, migrate to the ocean, then return to freshwater to spawn. NOAA describes this life cycle for Atlantic salmon in its Atlantic salmon science overview. It is a useful explanation of salmon biology, but it should not be confused with the location where a fish sold in a shop was raised or harvested.
Wild salmon is caught in fisheries
Wild Pacific salmon are harvested from fisheries across the North American Pacific range. NOAA describes Chinook salmon as ranging from Monterey Bay, California, to Alaska’s Chukchi Sea, and identifies U.S. wild-caught Chinook from Alaska to California. Alaska harvests five Pacific salmon species: Chinook, chum, coho, pink and sockeye. These examples show the breadth of the region; they are not a complete map of every wild salmon fishery worldwide.
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Landings figures need to be read with their species and year attached. NOAA reported 6.9 million pounds of U.S. commercial Chinook landings, valued at $30 million, in 2024. That figure covers one species and one year, not all salmon production or all fish sold in the United States.
Farmed salmon is raised in aquaculture
For the U.S. farmed Atlantic salmon route described by NOAA, eggs hatch in freshwater hatcheries. After about a year, young fish undergo smoltification—the changes that prepare them for salt water—and move to marine net pens. Farmers feed and monitor them there; harvest follows approximately two years later. The fish are then cleaned, iced, processed, packaged and distributed.
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NOAA identifies coastal farms, mostly in Maine or Washington, as sources of U.S.-raised Atlantic salmon. That does not mean all Atlantic salmon sold in the United States comes from those states: NOAA says most Atlantic salmon in the U.S. market is imported. Commercial fishing for Atlantic salmon is prohibited in the United States, so the U.S.-market distinction is especially useful: Atlantic salmon sold in U.S. seafood markets is farm-raised. That statement is about the U.S. market, not every country.
How wild and farmed salmon origins differ
| What to compare | Wild salmon | Farmed salmon |
|---|---|---|
| Production method | Caught in a fishery | Raised through aquaculture |
| Common examples in this context | Pacific species including Chinook, sockeye, coho, chum and pink | Atlantic salmon; farmed coho is also part of international trade |
| What geographic origin means | The fishery or harvest area | The country or region where the fish was raised |
| Does species alone identify the individual product’s origin? | No; check the stated harvest origin | No; check the stated farm origin |
Salmon is traded internationally
Salmon can be farmed or caught in one country, processed or traded through another, and sold somewhere else. In its account of trade published in 2022, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reported that salmon exports were worth USD 27.6 billion in 2020, with Norway and Chile leading exporters. The FAO also says Norway’s primary market is the European Union; Chile supplies Atlantic salmon to the United States and Brazil, and farmed coho to Japan. These are 2020 trade facts, not current retail-market shares.
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A historical NOAA/NMFS profile of U.S. salmon-product imports reported that, in 2016, Chile accounted for 37%, Canada 28%, China 11% and Norway 11%. Those figures describe that year’s imports, not today’s supermarket shelf. Product form, re-exporting and later market changes mean they cannot establish the current origin of a specific product.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to find where a particular salmon product came from
For a seafood purchase, look for three separate details: species, whether it is wild-caught or farm-raised, and harvest or farm location. The country where it is sold is not necessarily where it was caught or raised. The sources cited here do not establish current product-labeling rules or the origin of any specific retail item.
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If you are checking salmon in pet food, the same distinction matters: the ingredient name “salmon” alone does not establish species, whether it was wild or farmed, or its geographic origin. Look for those details on the package or contact the manufacturer; do not infer origin from the ingredient name.
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