SpeciesFacts

All species › Fish › Sockeye Salmon

Sockeye Salmon

Oncorhynchus nerka

Fish · family Salmonidae · order Salmoniformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
5 states[3]
Longest recorded life
8 years[4]

Sockeye Salmon is a fish in the salmon family, Salmonidae[5]. It is native to Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[3][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe ranks Sockeye Salmon as G5 (Secure) worldwide and N5 (Secure) in the United States[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The fish is not listed as Endangered or Threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. That is a legal listing and it does not mean every local group is doing well. NatureServe notes that many groups in North America have declined, and that heavy hatchery use makes the trend hard to judge[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern

Where Sockeye Salmon lives

NatureServe lists Sockeye Salmon as native in Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington[3]. It has also been introduced in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming[9]. Observation records on GBIF come mostly from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming and California[10]. These records follow where people look and report, not how many fish live there[10].

Alaska: native, state rank S5AKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: introduced, state rank SNAWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: native, state rank S2WAIdaho: native, state rank S1IDMontana: introduced, state rank SNAMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: introduced, state rank SNANYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: native, state rank S4ORNevada: introduced, state rank SNANVWyoming: introduced, state rank SNAWYSouth Dakota: introduced, state rank SNASDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: introduced, state rank SNAPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: introduced, state rank SNAUTColorado: introduced, state rank SNACONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: introduced, state rank SNAAZNew Mexico: introduced, state rank SNANMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: introduced, state rank SNANCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[11].
Show state ranks (17 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlaskaS5Secure
ArizonaSNANot Applicable
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
ColoradoSNANot Applicable
IdahoS1Critically Imperiled
MontanaSNANot Applicable
NevadaSNANot Applicable
New MexicoSNANot Applicable
New YorkSNANot Applicable
North CarolinaSNANot Applicable
OregonS4Apparently Secure
PennsylvaniaSNANot Applicable
South DakotaSNANot Applicable
UtahSNANot Applicable
WashingtonS2Imperiled
WisconsinSNANot Applicable
WyomingSNANot Applicable

Habitat

Adults that live in the ocean spend their non-breeding time in open water, and many are found in nutrient-rich waters off Alaska and the Arctic[12]. Back in fresh water, the fish use rivers, creeks, pools, riffles and shallow or deep water[13]. They spawn over gravel in streams and sometimes along gravelly lake shores[12]. The landlocked form called Kokanee does best in large, cold mountain lakes with well-oxygenated water[14][12]. Water warmer than 60 degrees F causes many deaths, especially among the young[12].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[13]

Size, diet and lifespan

NatureServe records the typical length as 71 cm (28 in)[15]. Adults are recorded as eating fish and invertebrates (small animals without backbones)[16]. Young fish eat mostly tiny crustaceans, and at sea they feed on zooplankton, small fishes and insects, then eat more fish as they grow[17]. Kokanee feed on zooplankton[17]. Females reach sexual maturity at about 730 days old[18]. The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 8 years, which is a record and not a typical lifespan[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[15] 71 cm (28 in)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 8 years (wild)
Female maturity[18] 730 days (about 2.0 years)
Food habits[16] Piscivore, Invertivore
Migration[19] non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant

When to look for it

Sea-going Sockeye spend 1 to 4 years in the ocean, usually 2 years, before swimming up rivers to spawn[20]. The river runs begin between late spring and midsummer, depending on the group[20]. Many groups spawn in fall, often peaking in October or November, and some spawn into winter[21]. Some populations stay in lakes and move into streams to spawn[20]. On GBIF, most records fall in May, June and July, which reflects when people look and report[22].

January: 184 recordsJanFebruary: 18 recordsFebMarch: 93 recordsMarApril: 621 recordsAprMay: 899 recordsMayJune: 926 recordsJunJuly: 727 recordsJulAugust: 645 recordsAugSeptember: 584 recordsSepOctober: 640 recordsOctNovember: 184 recordsNovDecember: 362 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[22].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January184
February18
March93
April621
May899
June926
July727
August645
September584
October640
November184
December362

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Sockeye Salmon as present in 19 park units[23]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, California[10]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Sockeye Salmon endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) worldwide[2].
Where does the Sockeye Salmon live in the US?
It is native to Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington[3]. It has been introduced in several other states, including Colorado and Utah[9].
What does the Sockeye Salmon eat?
Adults are recorded as eating fish and invertebrates[16]. Young fish eat mostly tiny crustaceans and zooplankton[17].
How big is a Sockeye Salmon?
NatureServe records a typical length of 71 cm (28 in)[15].
How long does a Sockeye Salmon live?
The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 8 years[4]. This is a record and not a typical lifespan[4].

Facts and sources

  1. Sockeye Salmon is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Sockeye Salmon: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Sockeye Salmon as native in 5 US states and territories: Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 8 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) is a fish in the family Salmonidae, order Salmoniformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe notes on trend for Sockeye Salmon. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe lists Sockeye Salmon as introduced (not native) in: Arizona, Colorado, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin, Wyoming. NatureServe Explorer
  10. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Sockeye Salmon: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, California. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  11. NatureServe state ranks for Sockeye Salmon (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on habitat for Sockeye Salmon. NatureServe Explorer
  13. Habitat types NatureServe records for Sockeye Salmon: Big river, Medium river, Creek, High gradient, Moderate gradient, Low gradient, Riffle, Pool, Deep water, Shallow water, Bay/sound, River mouth/tidal river, Pelagic, Near shore. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Other English names listed by NatureServe for Sockeye Salmon: Kokanee. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 71 cm (28 in). NatureServe Explorer
  16. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Piscivore, Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  17. NatureServe notes on food for Sockeye Salmon. NatureServe Explorer
  18. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 730 days (about 2.0 years). AnAge
  19. NatureServe migration category for Sockeye Salmon: non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  20. NatureServe notes on migration for Sockeye Salmon. NatureServe Explorer
  21. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Sockeye Salmon. NatureServe Explorer
  22. GBIF observation records of Sockeye Salmon in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  23. NPSpecies park lists recording Sockeye Salmon as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.