Fish in the Sea

The following saltwater fish are found in Vancouver Island waters:

Chinook Salmon
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This species is the largest Pacific salmon. It averages 94 to 91 centimetres long and weighs about 14 pounds. Its head is conical with a blunt snout; on breeding males, the snout is greatly extended, narrowed and turned down at the tip. The mouth of these males is severely deformed with an enlarged lower jaw. This causes an inability to close its sharp-toothed jaws. The chinook salmon is an iridescent green to blue-green colour with gold flecking or silvery sides and a white belly. Breeding fish are an overall olive-brown to purple colour with males darker than females. The chinook migrates as far as 600 to 1,200 miles up-river between July and November. The female digs the nest (or redd)) by lying on her side and thrashing her tail up and down forming a small hole where she lays 4,200 to 13,600 eggs. She dies within a few days to two weeks. This species utilizes about 260 streams in British Columbia: fewer than other species. The young, in fresh water, feed on terrestrial insects, crustaceans, mites, spiders and aphids. Young chinook in fresh water are preyed on by rainbow and cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden, coho salmon smolts, squawfish, sculpins, kingfisher and other diving birds. The chinook (or spring salmon) has always been important to the native fishery and in the commercial and sport fisheries of the west coast. The largest commercial catch takes place between May and September. They are sold fresh, fresh-frozen or canned. Sport fishermen consider chinook salmon a popular fish because of its potential size, hearty fight and highly-prized flesh.

Chum Salmon
Chum salmon average 64 centimetres long and 5 kilograms. The head and body have a similar shape to the chinook. Breeding male chum also have a slight hump before the dorsal fin and experience a distinct colour change. Chum salmon are steel-blue with fine black speckles on the back and upper sides and a silver-white belly. This species is found in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans and Okhotsk and Bering Seas. Spawning occurs anywhere from July, in northern British Columbia, to early January, in southern British Columbia. Chum rarely travel up river more than 100 miles and often spawn in tidal areas. An average female will lay 2,400 to 3,100 eggs before dying a few days later. Hatching usually occurs from late December to late February. Young fish remain in the gravel until late April to early May when they migrate to the sea. Chum salmon eat diatoms, dipterous insects, fish larvae, fish and squid. Once in fresh water, adults do not eat. Due to the two year life span of this species, the spawn of any given stock takes place in either an odd or even year. Chum salmon have always been an important food source for the natives. This white-fleshed fish is caught commercially to be sold fresh, frozen, dry-salted or smoked. Chum salmon are now considered a sport fish and are sought by North American anglers.

Coho Salmon
Coho are usually 46 to 61 centimetres in length and four to five kilograms in weight. Again, the head and body shape is the same as the chinook. In the ocean, coho are steel-blue to slightly green in colour with silver sides, white bellies and small black spots on the back. The coho salmon occurs naturally only in the Pacific Ocean and its associated coastal rivers and streams. It can also be found in some fresh water areas, including the Great Lakes. At three to five years old, coho begin to migrate late in the season and over a prolonged period. They often school at river mouths and move up when fall rains increase the water flow. A coho will generally not travel more than 241 kilometres up-river. Spawning takes place between October and January. After the female prepares the nest (or redd), she lays 2,100 to 2,800 eggs, guarding them until she dies a few days later. The fry emerge from early March to late July and, although some will migrate almost immediately, most remain at least one year in fresh water lakes or streams. The coho has always been considered important by commercial and sport fishermen in British Columbia. The best catches are made from July to September, with a peak in August. Coho can be canned, mild cured, smoked or, if troll caught, sold fresh or fresh-frozen.

Cutthroat Trout
Cutthroat trout average lengths of 31 to 38 centimetres and weigh one-half to seven kilograms. They have  short, conical heads with somewhat pointed to rounded snouts and large mouths with well-developed teeth in both jaws. In breeding males, the kype is slightly developed and the lower jaw appears extremely long. Cutthroat are characterized by two yellow, orange or red lines in the skin folds of each side of the lower jaw. The coastal species is dark to olive-green in colouring with numerous black spots and may appear more blue with silvery sides. Cutthroat trout can be found in fresh or salt water in North America, mostly west of the Rocky Mountains. Adults return to small, freshwater spawning streams in late autumn and early winter, but only spawn between February and May. The male courts the female by nudging and quivering and the female prepares the nest (or redd) where she lays 1,100 to 1,700 eggs. Hatching occurs six to seven weeks later. This species is noted as an important sport fish as it can be quite large and is a tough fighter. Cutthroat have excellent flavor when smoked, fried or baked.

Dolly Varden
The average length of Dolly Varden is 46 to 61 centimetres. Colouring of this fish is dark blue with silver sides. All are spotted and spawning adults turn a bright red. For years, many anglers have used the name Dolly Varden to apply to what are now considered two different fish: the Dolly Varden and the Bull Trout. In some regions, it is hard to make a clear distinction between the two, while in other areas of British Columbia, the difference in appearance is substantial. The Dolly Varden is found in the fresh and salt waters of North America and eastern Asia. The saltwater species do not move out into the open ocean, but remain close to shore near the river mouths. The Dolly Varden is a fall spawner. The female digs the nest (or redd) and is attended by four to five males. Dolly Varden usually live 10 to 12 years. Generally not considered a sought-after sport fish, the Dolly Varden does have many of the sporting qualities of other trout. They have been sold commercially, fresh, fresh-frozen, canned or dried.

Lingcod
The lingcod is recognized for its gaping mouth, projecting lower jaw and numerous sharp teeth. The largest lingcod on record was 152 centimetres in length, weighing 36.3 kilograms. Its colouring is typically bold, with mottled colours in shades of brown, grey or green. Lingcod can be found all along the western coast of North America, with the greatest abundance found in British Columbia's waters. They generally inhabit rocky areas or the edge of underwater reefs. Spawning occurs in January and February. The female lays 150,000 to 500,000 eggs, then leaves immediately. The male then takes up the role of guardian. Adult lingcod prey on a variety of fish and have been known to be cannibalistic. As well as being taken by sport and commercial fishermen, scuba divers take a substantial number of lingcod.

Pacific Halibut
The halibut has an elongated, slender and compressed body. The mouth is large and has well-developed teeth on both sides of the jaw. The halibut is dark brown on its eyed side and irregularly blotched with a lighter white on its blind side. Male halibut reach a maximum length of 1.4 metres and the females can reach 2.6 metres. The halibut is abundant along the Pacific shores of Canada and ranges from Southern California to the Bering Sea. It lives in very shallow waters to up to 600 fathoms. Spawning takes place from November to January in depths of 150 to 225 fathoms. A large female of 77 kilograms may lay as many as 2,700,000 eggs. The young fish drift into shallow waters and settle in bays and on inshore banks. Pacific halibut eat fish, crab, clams, squid and other invertebrates. The halibut is one of the most important commercial fish in BC. Bait includes frozen herring, Pacific cod and octopus. The livers and viscera of this fish are used in the production of vitamin A.

Pink Salmon
Pink salmon is the most numerous species of salmon. A pink salmon is usually 46 to 61 centimetres long and reaches an average weight of one to two kilograms. It has a conical head and small eyes. Breeding males have the same features and colouring as the chum salmon. The pink salmon can be found in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the Bering and Okholsk Seas and the Sea of Japan. Young and spawning adults are found in most tributary rivers of North America and North East Asia. From June to September, adults can be found migrating from the sea into freshwater anywhere from 40 to 300 miles upstream. Spawning takes place from mid-July to late October. The female prepares the nest (or redd) where she lays an average of 1,500 to 1,900 orange-red coloured eggs. She guards her nest as long as she is able, but spawning adults die in a few days or weeks. Hatching occurs from late December to late February. The average lifespan of a pink salmon is two years; generally they return to spawn in the river in which they hatched. Pink salmon eat euphausids, amphipods and a variety of fish and squid. Assorted stream fish ,including cutthroat and rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, coho salmon smolts and squawfish, as well as some birds, prey upon the young pink salmon. Prior to 1911, pink salmon were considered less desirable by commercial and sport fisherman, but due to wartime food requirements and the decrease of other salmon as a result of a slide in the Fraser River, the total annual catch increased dramatically and has never since decreased.

Rockcod
The rockcod (or rockfish) is distinguished by its heavy, stout build. It has a large, broad head, usually bearing spines and strong ridges. General colouring ranges from black to dull green through brilliant orange and crimson. Some have red or black vertical stripes. Rockcod reach lengths from 35 to 50 centimetres. This bottom species can be found in both the northern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The rockcod releases its larvae between January and May. It feed son a variety of foods, including herring, sand lance, crab, shrimp and euphausids. Several rockcod have been recorded as old as 70 years. Rockcod is caught by both commercial and sport fishermen; most of the rockfish caught commercially is frozen and exported to the USA, Japan and Europe.

Sockeye Salmon
A sockeye salmon is about 61 centimetres long when it returns to fresh water. The head is bluntly pointed and conical, with a pointed snout and small teeth in the jaws. Breeding males have a more compressed head and body with a prolonged, turned-up snout and a small hump before the dorsal fin. Breeding males and females experience a striking colour change. Typical colouring of this species is a brilliant steel-blue to green-blue with silver sides, white to silver belly and no distinct spots. The sockeye is found in North America from the Klamath River in California to Point Hope, Alaska. Sockeye spawn in the fall, anywhere from July to December. They usually enter inlet streams along the waters in which they are living or they may spawn in gravel beds along the shore. The female prepares the nest and lays 370 to 1,750 (an average of 450) eggs. A few days to several weeks later, the adults of both sexes die. Hatching usually occurs in December to January, but emergence is not until March to May. Generally, this species matures, spawns and dies at four years of age. Sockeye salmon are considered excellent sportfish which eagerly take both flies and lures. Their flesh is often blood-red, oily and delicious cooked, canned, or brined and hot smoked.

Steelhead Trout
The average length of a steelhead trout is 51 to 76 centimetres. A mature steelhead usually weighs 3.6 to 4 kilograms, but has been recorded as high as 16 kilograms. The body is somewhat compressed with a rounded snout and a large mouth. The spawning male experiences minor changes to its head, mouth and colour. Stream residents and spawners are darker with more intense colouring. They range from steel-blue, blue-green, yellow-green to almost brown, always erring on the silver side with a number of small black spots. The native range of this species is the eastern Pacific Ocean and fresh water locations mainly west of the Rocky Mountains. Steelhead trout spawn from March to August in small streams. The female digs and spawns in several nests, depositing 800 to 1000 eggs in each redd. These eggs usually hatch four to seven weeks later. The life expectancy of steelhead can be as low as three years, but generally they live six to eight years. They first feed on plankton, then insects; as they grow older, they eat crustaceans and other fish. Steelhead trout are rated one of the top five sport fish in North America because of the hard fight they wage.