All about: Salmon

September 11, 2025

2 min read

Not all salmon are the same. SWISS LACHS breeds Atlantic salmon. But how many species of salmon exist in the world’s waters? What do salmon eat and what are their biggest threats? In this blog post, you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions.

8 answers about salmon

How many species of salmon are there?

There are nine different species of salmon in total. The best known include chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, pink salmon, coho salmon and, of course, Atlantic salmon, which is farmed at SWISS LACHS salmon farms. Most species of salmon live in the temperate to subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere.

What does salmon eat?

Why do salmon migrate?

How do salmon find their way back to their birth river?

How do salmon adapt to fresh and salt water?

How many eggs does a salmon lay?

During reproduction, the female uses her tail fin to dig a hollow in a gravel bank. She then lays up to 30,000 eggs in it, which are then fertilised by the males. The salmon mother then covers the fertilised eggs with gravel again.

What role do salmon play in the ecosystem?

On their journey from their birthplace to the sea and back again, salmon are not only a source of food for over 200 animal species such as bears and birds of prey. They also transport nutrients from the sea to the forests.

Why is salmon endangered?

River engineering, pollution, climate change and overfishing have led to salmon being classified as ‘endangered’ in the wild. Sustainably farmed and locally produced salmon helps the wild salmon population to continue to recover.