villaks

Villaks, or wild salmon, are a group of anadromous fish that spend most of their adult lives at sea and return to freshwater to spawn. The term commonly includes wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and the Pacific salmon species Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), Sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka), Pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), and Chum (Oncorhynchus keta).

Wild salmon inhabit coastal waters and river systems of the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Pacific species range from Japan and eastern Russia through Alaska and western North America to California, while Atlantic salmon occur in rivers draining into the North Atlantic and adjacent seas of Europe and North America.

Life cycle: they hatch in gravel beds, migrate to the sea as juveniles, and return to their natal streams to spawn. Most Pacific salmon die after spawning, while some Atlantic individuals may survive to spawn again. Maturity takes multiple years, varying by species.

Ecology and threats: thriving populations require clean, well-oxygenated rivers, intact migration routes, and suitable spawning habitat. They are sensitive to high water temperatures, sedimentation, pollution, and habitat fragmentation from dams and development. Overfishing, climate change, and shifting ocean conditions have reduced many populations. Management combines harvest limits, habitat protection, river restoration, and selective hatchery use.

Human use and conservation: wild salmon support commercial and recreational fisheries and have cultural importance in many northern communities. Conservation aims to protect migratory corridors, restore streams, monitor population trends, and maintain genetic diversity to sustain ecological and economic value.