If you’re in Scotland, salmon return to large Scottish rivers during all months of the year. However once in the river the biggest upstream movement of salmon and sea trout will often be timed with increased flows during the autumn, taking the fish to their spawning grounds for November.
Spawning usually occurs from November to December, but may extend from October to late February in some areas, particularly larger rivers. About 90 to 95% of all Atlantic salmon die after spawning has taken place. Those that survive may spawn again.
When do salmon return to spawn?
Niall Gauld – Durham University Spawning migration Like many animals salmonids return to their natal area to spawn. Salmon enter the river almost all year round Early migrants termed spring salmon Largest migrations occur in the late summer – autumn Sea trout peak in summer with migration tailing off in late autumn.
How old are salmon when they return to spawn?
In Minnesota, most of the chinook salmon that return to the North Shore to spawn are 3-5 years old. Typically they move near shore in mid-September and wait for October rains before they run up the streams. Actual spawning usually occurs in October and sometimes into early November.
Young Atlantic salmon spend two to three years in their home river before going on a one to three year journey in the North Atlantic where they grow into an adult. They travel over 6,000 miles before coming back home to spawn. They sometimes swim 200 miles up the river to find their preferred places to spawn.
Atlantic Salmon Spawning Adult Atlantic salmon predominantly return to spawn in the river in which they spent their juvenile lives, a process known as ‘homing’. The adult salmon find their way back to the spawning grounds using their sense of smell (olfaction).
When do salmon return to Scottish rivers?
Salmon that return to Scottish rivers from January to June are called ‘spring salmon’. Salmon may, of course, enter Scotland’s rivers at any time of the year – which is not the case for Atlantic salmon observed elsewhere. It’s one of the reasons why Scottish populations are so important from a biodiversity perspective.
Yet another query we ran across in our research was “When can salmon be seen migrating to their spawning area?”.
Most Pacific salmon can be seen migrating from spring though fall, depending on the species. Most adult Atlantic salmon migrate up the rivers of New England beginning in spring and continuing through the fall as well, with the migration peaking in June.
Spawning migration Like many animals salmonids return to their natal area to spawn. Salmon enter the river almost all year round Early migrants termed spring salmon Largest migrations occur in the late summer – autumn Sea trout peak in summer with migration tailing off in late autumn.
Can salmon be eaten after spawning?
Spawning for a salmon is when they lay eggs to hatch, otherwise known as roe, or salmon roe. Most wild salmon is caught and killed post-spawn and therefore eaten after spawning. However, a dead salmon is a dead salmon is a dead salmon.