ALASKA-FOR YOUR INFORMATION
There-are 5 species of salmon on the Pacific coast of the United States,Alas
ka and Asia with a few more restricted to Japan and vicinity. If all the con>
mon names for the 5 * species are not listed, I’m sorry. Encyclopedia •- ritt-rfica
just didn’t list -anymore. . a, , »»- " ’ ‘ -1 t
1. Ohiiiuok .or King oduon (alsQ known as^iOuinriQt, Columbia, Sacramentq) ■ •
reaches 70-100 .poun s but‘the average Ts *20 pounds-, s • : ■'* . , .
2, Chuift' or hog Sal^ion-vjeigh^ 7-.1Q.’pounds ’ ’.■ '"v «•• **t
. 3.rSllVer—ayerage weighs '5-8 'pounds *'• ' ' "
4* Pink" or 'hu pback-weighs 3-5,,pounds - . : . ,
5. Sock eye or, blueb?ck~weighs ‘,5-d, pounds.* ; a ‘ ; - . ,*•
, • 2h<j0B-*‘4fe a ♦wide variation in the distance that salmon t'ravel up*fresh water
streams' tb spawn. The King'travels' to the headwaters ..cf .the stream and have been
?ound in the Yukon river 3,000 mil,s or so‘from the s©^.. while tft‘4'Pink salmon
commonly spavins only ,a feu miles above. .salt water. It is not known if a salmon
a as spawned more th anyone©.. "• " , »
.The; eggs hatch in/‘•bout #0 days ' anu the young remain n fresh water from a few
.icnths*• t’C>k year. Between the. ages, *<*f 2 years drid . 7 yotwp,**;defendin'g upon the *
species, the fish have matured***hd returned ty' sfbim\ After spawning', the. adults -
aavo .complcted thoir m^sionwilf' .life -and die «vititfrut returning to •% o s aa. - ... ■ ■
father-’ genus.^bf th^. family finlmnnidae is the £enus Salmo, better known as
trouts. A- '{ • x: ' *
The name"tr^ut M.-..rly alft^s brings /tc? mind ? fresh rater game fish. However,
the.Atlantic^oLmon (c»^lmq '£-aiar)i,( oi{o qf the most furious *r4V the- • trouts, is pri
'Jiarily ^'shitf water Hnhabitrmt nicl,,unlike. the Pacific Salmon, does not habitua
lly cUc, aftelb sp^wnin^*t To the contrary, it, my return 3 or 4 tines to spawn.
The fresh water youngsters of the Atlantic -Salmon nr$ known' as 'pnpr.s and nay
linger in northern s*nt.ors :for 3-^6 years. The average parr- though, 'at1, the age of 2
venra.-snd a length pf 6 inches-, ■■journeys ,tp; thc^sea ana bye ones known al.,a smalt,
attoxy/*'yeor in* salt water, the smelt is. ag: grilse arid may at. any tine return to
fresh-water]to spayn. • ; .fwg * / ' ■*_
In 0 western' •*» orjth Ane rid a'there are .2 main groups * of trout.The "Rainbow Series"
and the n0ut-t41r«>at Ser^s". Both of these series retain' the migratory instinct
af distant ancestors and some continue to migrate to the--sea. Therefore,, a. s£*3ol«*
>e-ad may bo either a cut-thro/ t steelhea'd or a rainbow ^eelhead. There are many
records of' either weighing 20 lb. or more, but the average' is much surlier,. .
text week we 11 finish rotir fiiscussion of the finny family ialHoniliie, by tak
ing- a quickUo&e'*-*t the genus SelveXinus. (the chars, of which, the dolly Vprden
is a member.) * ; , , # ~ • >t • . . »
By Thom^i/'',- .. . •,
.-------:-7-~-V:- i 1'-•
Informtion about the. wildlife’£r gooyr phical aspects of the Alaskan territory *
vay be obtained b* sending ycur questions address^/ to: the'.:SUN either by .gu ard * *
i-'il or by calling 436. , 1, , ,•
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... * y.•*