The Chum salmon is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. They have an ocean coloration of silvery blue green. When adults are near spawning, they have purple blotchey streaks near the caudal fin. Unlike other salmon, Chum have many spots. Spawning males typically grow an elongated snout or kype and have enlarged teeth. Some researchers speculate these characteristics are used to compete for mates.
The chum salmon is found in the north Pacific in the waters of Korea, Japan, and the Okhotsk and Bering seas (Kamchatka, Chukotka, Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, Khabarovsk Krai, Primorsky Krai), British Columbia in Canada, and from Alaska to Oregon in the United States.
Adult chum usually weigh from 4.4 to 6.6 kg, with an average length of 60 cm. The record for chum is 16 kg and 102 cm and was caught at Edie Pass in British Columbia.
The Chum Salmon goes by other names such as dog salmon, Keta salmon, Silverbrite salmon.
