Alaska is home to five iconic salmon species: king, sockeye, silver, pink, and chum. Each has unique characteristics and have a different place in the salmon market for both American and global consumers.
At the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association, we’re up close and personal with these fish —especially the sockeyes, silvers, and pinks we raise to a juvenile stage in our hatcheries. We might be less aware of how the public perceives our salmon and the surprising trends that might shape future sales.
Chinook: They Don’t Call Them Kings for Nothing
King salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) is celebrated for its rich flavor and high oil content. It is marketed as a luxury item, often fetching the highest price per pound.
In Alaska, king salmon are harvested from their natural habitats, adhering to a strict ban on finfish farming enacted in 1990. This wild-caught approach allows kings to mature in pristine environments, feeding on natural diets, which creates that prized rich flavor and firm texture.
Globally, Alaska Chinook face stiff competition from farmed salmon from New Zealand. That country produces 55% of the world's commercially sold king salmon. Salmon are raised in sea cages or freshwater systems, where conditions such as diet and environment are carefully controlled to optimize growth and quality. This farming approach allows for consistent production and year-round availability. Alaska rejected this approach though to protect wild stocks from dangers associated with farmed fish including disease.
Reds Rule the Rivers and the Market
Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) are also known as "reds" due to the color of their flesh. Consumers and chefs both seek out red salmon in the U.S. and abroad. Alaska's sockeye fisheries are exclusively wild-caught, with major harvests occurring in regions like Bristol Bay—the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery.
Like kings, Alaska's sockeye face competition from farmed Atlantic salmon produced in countries like Norway and Chile. While farmed salmon is available year-round, many consumers wait for the seasonal fresh Alaska sockeye—maintaining the product’s strong presence in the premium seafood market.
CIAA raises juvenile sockeye salmon at its Trail Lakes Hatchery with assistance from its Tutka Bay Lagoon Hatchery. CIAA provides sockeye salmon for the area’s sport, commercial, and personal use fisheries.
Versatile Silvers Shine
Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) are also known as "silvers." They have a brighter appearance underwater and milder flavor than their premium cousins. Consumers and chefs seek out silver salmon for their flavor and flesh that’s not too fatty and not too lean. Their firm texture and moderate oil content offer a balance that appeals to both consumers and chefs.
In Alaska, coho salmon are exclusively wild-caught. Later-season runs keep commercial fishing operations going well into the fall in many Alaska regions. Silvers also have a strong presence in sport fisheries, such as the Seward Silver Salmon Derby.
CIAA supports the enhancement of coho salmon fisheries by collaborating with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to collect silver eggs and milt at Bear Creek Weir. These fertilized eggs are raised at the William Jack Hernandez Hatchery in Anchorage and at CIAA’s Trail Lakes Hatchery and released near Seward where the resulting adult salmon will return to be harvested in the Silver Salmon Derby.
Pinks: Alaska’s Bread and Butter Fishery
Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) are often called "humpies" due to the distinctive hump males develop during spawning. Pink salmon are the smallest and most abundant of Alaska's salmon species. Their light, mild-flavored flesh and lower oil content earned them a place for canning, filleting, flash freezing, and pre-packaged meals.
In Alaska, pink salmon are exclusively wild-caught, primarily using purse seine nets. Since the 1990s, annual statewide commercial harvests have averaged around 100 million pink salmon, supporting local economies and the broader fishing industry.
Like other Alaska salmon species, pinks face competition from farmed Atlantic salmon, but targeted marketing campaigns are helping to turn the tide. In 2023, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute promoted pinks and other Alaska salmon to four restaurants in Bangkok, supporting influencer campaigns, paid advertising, and promotional items to raise consumer awareness. In 2023, ASMI ran similar campaigns to promote Alaska salmon in the UK and Spain.
CIAA’s Tutka Bay Lagoon Hatchery is permitted to incubate up to 125 million pink salmon eggs a year. We raise them until they’re in the fry stage then transfer them to net pens before releasing them to the open ocean.
Keta: A Dog Salmon Makeover
Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) hasn’t always gotten the best PR. Around Alaska, many folks still call it “dog salmon” because of its big front teeth.
Over the years, there’s been a push to give this fish the respect it deserves—and it’s working. The industry has started using its scientific name, “keta,” to steer attention away from the old labels and highlight what really matters: its mild flavor, firm texture, and versatility.
Unlike richer kings or brighter sockeye, keta’s subtler taste makes it perfect for smoking, grilling, or even tossing into recipes where the fish plays more of a supporting role. It’s also a hit for its roe, known as ikura, a delicacy in Japan and at sushi restaurants around the world. At around $7.50 a pound, Alaska’s wild-caught keta salmon stands out as an affordable wild option in a market flooded with farmed fish.
2024 Harvests by Species
The breakdown of the Alaska commercial 2024 harvest by species is as follows:
- Sockeye: Approximately 42 million fish were harvested, accounting for 42% of the total harvest. The ex-vessel value for sockeye was about $206.7 million, representing 68% of the total value.
- Pink: The harvest totaled around 40 million fish, making up 40% of the total harvest. The ex-vessel value was approximately $28.2 million, about 9% of the total value.
- Chum: Approximately 17.2 million fish were harvested, constituting 17% of the total harvest. The ex-vessel value was about $45 million, or 15% of the total value.
- Coho: The harvest was around 1.7 million fish, accounting for 1% of the total harvest. The ex-vessel value was approximately $12.2 million, representing 4% of the total value.
- Chinook: The harvest was just under 229,000 fish, with an ex-vessel value of about $11.8 million, making up 4% of the total value.
From World Market to Local Sustainability
CIAA’s salmon operations are but a drop in the bucket of the salmon available on the world market. However, the salmon fisheries provided by CIAA make a difference in local economies and ways of life, including recreation, commercial, and personal use harvests.
We know that some of the fish that started in our hatcheries may reach a global market today, but our focus is on future harvests—providing sustainable Alaska fisheries for all.
