Coho Salmon

salmon · ocean · migration · Pacific

Also called silver salmon. Coho salmon get their nickname from their shiny, silvery skin that sparkles in the water. They're medium-sized salmon, smaller than some of their cousins but bigger than others in the salmon family.

Amazing ocean to river journey. These fish are anadromous, which means they're born in rivers, swim out to the ocean to grow big and strong, then return to the same rivers to have babies. It's one of nature's most incredible migrations.

Named from Indigenous language. The word 'coho' comes from k'ʷəxʷəθ, which is how the Halkomelem people of Vancouver called this fish. It's a great example of how English borrowed words from the languages of people who knew these fish best.

Popular food fish. Coho salmon are often sold as 'medium red salmon' in markets and restaurants. People love them for sushi, grilling, and all kinds of delicious dishes because of their tasty flesh.

One of six Pacific salmon. There are six different types of Pacific salmon, and coho are one of the most important ones. They share their family with chinook, sockeye, pink, chum, and coho salmon species.