Sockeye salmon

The sockeye salmon, also called red salmon, kokanee salmon, blueback salmon, or simply sockeye, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it. This species is a Pacific salmon that is primarily red in hue during spawning.

Sockeye has deep red, firm flesh and a stronger flavor than other salmon, so it stands up well to grilling, roasting, and smoking. A lot of the catch is sold fresh, frozen, or canned.

Sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, range across the northern Pacific and its rivers, from the Columbia River north to Japan. They start life in freshwater lakes and streams before heading to the ocean. Bristol Bay, Alaska runs the world's largest sockeye harvest.