Atlantic Salmon

On both sides of the Atlantic Ocean the salmon has a rich cultural heritage based on recreational fishing and its own mystique. Flashing silver as it jumps a 10-foot waterfall, the Atlantic salmon has become a symbol of survival and of healthy river systems.

A world traveler, the wild Atlantic salmon is an anadromous fish - one that spawns in fresh water but spends much of its life at sea. According to the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Atlantic salmon is in danger of extinction.

The historic range of the Atlantic salmon included the North Atlantic with freshwater tributaries from Ungava Bay to Lake Ontario and southward to Connecticut in North America, and from Russia's White Sea to Portugal on the European coast.

While many of these salmon runs are now reduced or extinct, Atlantic salmon can still be found in the rivers of Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, France, Spain, Canada and the United States.

www.worldwildlife.org