sockeye

(also called ‘red salmon’, ‘sockeye salmon’, ‘blueback salmon’; when in the landlocked water, it is called ‘kokanee’)

a kind of fish – one of the several species of ‘salmon’ fish – finned, scaly and bony fish – lives part of its life in freshwater and part in saltwater – size: on average, 1½-3 feet long, and weight: 2½-3½ Kg; feeds on plankton (= very small plant matter found in water) by filter feeding; lives for 2-8 years (on average 4-6 years); found in North Pacific and Arctic Oceans

Special Features:

The sockeye’s peculiar feature is that when it lives in the saltwater it is bluish-green on the upper-side and silvery or white on the bottom side; however, during the spawning (= egg-laying) season, like all other salmon species, it travels to the freshwater body where it was born, and on the way, it changes its colour to bright red body with pale green head.

The female may have green and yellow marks, and the male develops a hump on the back, and the jaws and teeth become hooked.

Like most other species of salmon fish, sockeyes also die soon after spawning!

Sockeyes are a popular food and game fish – hunted for their meat and/or just for fun!

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