Adults, who have spent years at sea, enter the stream where they hatched, and begin swimming upstream. Females lay up to 8,000 eggs. Only 20 out of 100 will survive to become fry. Surviving eggs hatch into alewins. All adult Pacific salmon dies after spawning.
Older salmon are at sea growing and feeding.
Young salmon lie dormant at the bottom of rivers in pools under the ice. The salmon also provide a valuable resource for the people of Alaska, commercial fishing. Also, a deep thanks to Andrew McLeod, our guide from the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, for assisting us in the identification of our sea stars. Return to the Alaska Natural History Tour homepage.