silver salmon
Salmo salar
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_salmon
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Order
Salmoniformes
Family
Salmonidae
Genus
Salmo
silver salmon belongs to the family Salmonidae, order Salmoniformes, within the unknown class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Silver salmon face severe population declines due to habitat destruction from dam construction, river channelization, and urban development that blocks migration routes and degrades spawning grounds. Climate change is altering ocean temperatures and acidification levels, disrupting marine food webs and affecting survival rates during the oceanic phase of their lifecycle.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Cold-water rivers and streams for spawning and juvenile development, migrating to marine environments including coastal waters and open ocean for adult feeding and growth. Requires clean gravel beds in freshwater systems and productive marine ecosystems with temperatures typically below 15°C.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Silver salmon face severe population declines due to habitat destruction from dam construction, river channelization, and urban development that blocks migration routes and degrades spawning grounds. Climate change is altering ocean temperatures and acidification levels, disrupting marine food webs and affecting survival rates during the oceanic phase of their lifecycle.
Climate change and ocean warming
Dam construction and river modification
Habitat degradation and loss of spawning grounds
Overfishing and bycatch
Pollution and agricultural runoff
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | VUVulnerable | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | VUVulnerable | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). silver salmon (Salmo salar). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/silver-salmon