Salmon and other fish swim upstream because it is part of their reproductive life cycle. Salmon are born in freshwater rivers, spend most of their lives in the ocean and then return to the place they were born to lay their own eggs. Do salmon swim up or downstream ? The short answer to this is “to spawn”.
How far do salmon swim to spawn?
Salmon can swim hundreds or even thousands of miles to get to their spawning grounds. In fact, salmon have one of the longest migration patterns in the fish world. Atlantic salmon in particular often cover vast distances to get to their home rivers.
It usually only takes salmon a few weeks to travel from the ocean all the way upstream to where they spawn. Sometimes this can be over 2 miles from the ocean! They wait until the first big rain in late September or October, then swim upstream when the rivers are high.
What kind of salmon swim upstream?
Pink salmon are another common species of salmon that swims upstream, and only grow to be 5 lbs in weight. Each year huge schools swim upriver in the pacific northwest every other year to spawn. Author Note: Pink salmon are also called humpback salmon due to the physical changes the males go through when spawning.
Moreover, why do salmon swim high up the rivers?
The migrating salmon need cool and well-oxygenated water simply to be able to make the entire journey upstream and once the eggs are laid (usually in gravel beds), their continued survival heavily depends on the presence of oxygen in the water. Yet another reason for the salmon to swim high up the rivers is security.
Salmon swim upstream to mate and lay their eggs for several reasons. Laying their eggs in small rivers and shallow waters help protect them from larger fish that would happily eat them as a snack in the ocean. The shallow streams and rivers also provide shelter for the eggs so they don’t get washed away by heavy currents.
What happened to the salmon that tried to swim upstream?
This salmon did not get to swim upstream. Instead, it will become an overpriced entree at a restaurant. Photo by NOAA on Unsplash.
How do salmon survive in streams?
Salmon enter fast-flowing freshwater systems and swim up their natal rivers to find a suitable spawning location. The rivers’ running water and habitat provide both plenty of oxygen and shelter for the eggs and juvenile salmon, which increases their rate of survival.