Like Pacific salmon, they are anadromous, born in fresh water, migrate to salt water to grow and mature, and return to fresh water to spawn. When in the sea, Atlantic salmon are silvery with a darker back. Their upper body, head, and fins are marked with small black crosses and spots. They have a small head and a small, fleshy adipose fin between their dorsal fin and tail.
Atlantic salmon inhabit coastal water on both sides of the North Atlantic.
At one time they occurred along our coast from Labrador to New York. However, manmade obstructions and pollution hindered their spawning success, and overfishing further reduced their numbers. Today, Atlantic salmon are farmed or pen-raised in Maine, Canada, Norway, Iceland, Scotland, Ireland, the Shetlands, and Chile. In the wild, meat is orange-red to dark pink. The meat of farmed product is grayish, so ingredients such as shrimp and krill are added to feed to give the meat a richer, more marketable color.