Contents

Introduction

What's New? Introduction Chum Salmon Tales Respect! Honne Names the Salmon Whatever It Takes Recipe Challenge Life History Timeline for Life History, Growth, and Survival Chum Salmon Ages Embryonic Stages Juvenile Stages Adult Stages Chum Salmon Ecosytems Ocean Climate Effects Identifying Chum Salmon Viewing Chum Salmon Kennedy Creek Clarks Creek Piper's Creek Chum Salmon Colors Puget Sound Chum Salmon Introduction Stock Status Summer Chum Recovery Plan Summer Chum Recovery Planning Update Chum Management Management Chronology Fisheries Data Coastal Chum Salmon Introduction Stock Status Chum Management Fisheries Data Columbia River Chum Salmon Introduction Stock Status Recovery Efforts Fisheries Technical Reports Databases Glossary

Chum salmon are the most abundant wild salmon species in Washington State, and at the same time are probably the least appreciated of the state's salmon. Chum salmon have many admirable attributes, not the least of which is the fact that this species has shown remarkable resilience during a period when other salmon species have shown substantial declines. The current distribution of chum salmon spans most of western Washington, including Puget Sound, the coast, and several lower Columbia River streams. The chum stocks of these three regions represent genetically distinct population groupings and are managed separately. Along with sockeye and pink salmon, chum salmon have traditionally been considered a commercial fishing species. In the nineteen-nineties, chum salmon have been the most valuable of Washington produced salmon to state and tribal commercial fishers, in terms of total state-wide annual value. In recent years, however, there has been growing sport fishing interest in chum salmon, both in marine and freshwater fisheries. As sport fishing opportunities have been restricted for other species, the abundant chum salmon runs have been "discovered" by many salmon anglers, and new fishing locations and techniques are helping to make chum salmon an important sport fish.

Respect!