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What the sources say

Atlantic SalmonSalmo salar

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Atlantic Salmon profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 42 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Sayer 2024

Sayer (2024). Salmo salar. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T19855A212864916.

The page saysThe IUCN Red List lists the species as Near Threatened, in an assessment published in 2024.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Near Threatened (NT).Note: category read via GBIF's copy; publication year 2024 is the DOI's edition (2024-2); the prefetch's 2023 assessment date is not in any cached text, so the page gives only the publication year
The page saysNear Threatened
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Near Threatened (NT).

Source
02

FishBase

Salmo salar (Atlantic salmon). FishBase.

The page saysGravel-bottomed rivers from northern Quebec to New York and across northern Europe, and the North Atlantic Ocean.
The source saysSpawns at 6-10°C (Ref. 89464 ) in gravel river areas far upstream
The page saysGravel-bottomed rivers from northern Quebec to New York and across northern Europe, and the North Atlantic Ocean.
The source saysNorth Atlantic Ocean: temperate and arctic zones in northern hemisphere
The page saysGravel-bottomed rivers from northern Quebec to New York and across northern Europe, and the North Atlantic Ocean.
The source saysAtlantic drainages from northern Quebec, Canada, to Connecticut and New York, USA ... Eastern Atlantic: White and Barents Sea basins through northeastern Europe to the Baltic and North Sea basins, including Iceland
The page saysMainly aquatic insects, crustaceans and fish as a juvenile; squid, shrimp and fish at sea.
The source saysJuveniles feed mainly on aquatic insects, mollusks, crustaceans and fish; adults at sea feed on squids, shrimps, and fish
The page saysFishBase adds that adults are known to return to the river where they were born, and even to its specific natal site.
The source saysknown to return from the ocean to the river where it was born, and even to its specific natal site
The page saysFishBase gives the western range as rivers from northern Quebec to Connecticut and New York
The source saysAtlantic drainages from northern Quebec, Canada, to Connecticut and New York, USA
The page saysIn the east, their rivers run from the White Sea and Barents Sea coasts across northeastern Europe to the Baltic and North Sea, and Iceland has them too.
The source saysWhite and Barents Sea basins through northeastern Europe to the Baltic and North Sea basins, including Iceland
The page saysFishBase says young salmon stay in fresh water for 1 to 6 years, then spend 1 to 4 years in coastal seas or the open ocean.
The source saysYoung remain in freshwater for 1 to 6 years, then migrate to coastal marine waters or even to open oceans where they remain for 1 to 4 years
The page saysYoung salmon mainly eat aquatic insects, mollusks, crustaceans and fish.
The source saysJuveniles feed mainly on aquatic insects, mollusks, crustaceans and fish
The page saysAt sea, adults feed on squid, shrimp and fish.
The source saysadults at sea feed on squids, shrimps, and fish
The page saysFishBase lists a maximum length of 150 cm and a maximum published weight of 46.8 kg
The source saysMax length : 150 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251 ); 120.0 cm TL (female); common length : 38.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3561 ); max. published weight: 46.8 kg
The page saysFishBase reports that the species lives up to 10 years, though most reach only 4 to 6.
The source saysreported to live up to 10 years, but most individuals only reach 4-6 years
The page saysThe oldest age it lists is 13 years.
The source saysmax. reported age: 13 years
The page saysBreeding males grow elongated, hooked jaws.
The source saysmales are characterized by elongated hooked jaws that meet at the tips
The page saysA female picks gravel of the right size and digs a nest, called a redd, by turning on her side and flexing her body up and down.
The source saysThe female selects a site where the gravel is of the right size ... The female digs a depression ("redd") by turning on her side and flexing her body up and down
The page saysFishBase says she releases between 8,000 and 25,000 eggs in a season.
The source saysA female releases between 8,000-25,000 eggs during a spawning season
The page saysFishBase says some females survive and return to the sea, about 0.3 to 6 percent of returning females spawn a second time, and in short rivers some individuals may spawn for up to six seasons.
The source says10-40% of females may survive and return to the sea in autumn ... Of the returning females, about 0.3-6 % spawn a second time ... In short rivers with presumably less exhaustive upstream migration, up to 34% of returning individuals spawn a second time; some individuals may spawn for up to six seasons
The page saysMost individuals reach only 4 to 6 years, says FishBase, though some are reported to live up to 10.
The source saysreported to live up to 10 years, but most individuals only reach 4-6 years
The page saysIts maximum reported age is 13 years.
The source saysmax. reported age: 13 years
The page saysFishBase gives maximums of 150 cm and 46.8 kg, yet its common length for the species is 38 cm.
The source saysMax length : 150 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251 ); 120.0 cm TL (female); common length : 38.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3561 ); max. published weight: 46.8 kg
The page saysMost males do, FishBase says, but 10 to 40 percent of females may survive and head back to sea. In short rivers, some individuals may spawn for up to six seasons.
The source saysMost males die after spawning, while 10-40% of females may survive and return to the sea in autumn ... In short rivers with presumably less exhaustive upstream migration, up to 34% of returning individuals spawn a second time; some individuals may spawn for up to six seasons
The page saysTwo lives in one fish
The source saysAmphihaline species, spending most of its life in freshwater ... Young remain in freshwater for 1 to 6 years, then migrate to coastal marine waters or even to open oceans
The page saysSome salmon survive spawning.
The source saysfemales may survive and return to the sea
The page saysThe range is the North Atlantic.
The source saysNorth Atlantic Ocean: temperate and arctic zones in northern hemisphere

Source
03

NOAA Fisheries

Atlantic Salmon. NOAA Fisheries.

The page saysHatches in a river, grows up in the ocean, and finds its way home by the chemistry of its birth stream.
The source saysDuring smoltification, Atlantic salmon imprint on the chemical nature of their stream or river to enable them to find their way back to where they were born.
The page saysImprints on the chemical signature of its home stream, then uses it to find the way back from the sea.
The source saysDuring smoltification, Atlantic salmon imprint on the chemical nature of their stream or river to enable them to find their way back to where they were born.
The page saysAn Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is born in a river, grows up at sea, and swims back to the river it hatched in.
The source sayshatch in freshwater rivers, migrate to the ocean where they mature, and then return to their natal freshwater rivers to spawn
The page saysNOAA says the trick happens during smoltification, the change that readies a young salmon for salt water: the fish imprints on the chemical nature of its home stream to find its way back.
The source saysThis physiological transformation is called smoltification and prepares the salmon for life in a saltwater marine environment. ... During smoltification, Atlantic salmon imprint on the chemical nature of their stream or river to enable them to find their way back to where they were born.
The page saysbut NOAA said in 2026 that the only wild US populations left are in central and eastern Maine.
The source saysCurrently, the only remaining wild populations of U.S. Atlantic salmon are found in rivers in central and eastern Maine.Note: 2026 is the page's own update date, cited in the next claim
The page saysbut NOAA said in 2026 that the only wild US populations left are in central and eastern Maine.
The source saysLast updated by NOAA Fisheries on 06/29/2026
The page saysNOAA says salmon born in Maine reach the seas off Newfoundland and Labrador by mid-summer, then spend their first winter south of Greenland.
The source sayssalmon leave Maine rivers as smolts in the spring and reach the seas off Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, by mid-summer. They spend their first winter at sea south of Greenland
The page saysNOAA says parr are about 2 inches long and wear spots and vertical bars as camouflage.
The source saysParr are approximately 2 inches long and camouflaged with spots and vertical bars to protect them from predators.
The page saysNOAA says an adult that has spent 2 years at sea averages 28 to 30 inches long and 8 to 12 pounds.
The source saysAfter 2 years at sea, adult salmon can grow to an average length of 28 to 30 inches and weight of 8 to 12 pounds.
The page saysNOAA explains that while a young salmon turns into a smolt, it imprints on the chemical nature of its home water, which enables it to return there to spawn after its time at sea.
The source saysDuring smoltification, Atlantic salmon imprint on the chemical nature of their stream or river to enable them to find their way back to where they were born. ... After 1 to 3 years at sea, adult Atlantic salmon return to the streams and rivers between May and October where they were born to spawn
The page saysIn the river, the young are called parr.
The source saysthe fry continue to feed and grow, transitioning into the parr stage
The page saysSize depends on how long the fish spends at sea.
The source saysThe size of adults returning to freshwater from the ocean depends on how long they lived at sea.

Source
04

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Salmo salar (Atlantic salmon). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysADW notes that scientists are not exactly sure how salmon do it, though most think the smell of the parent stream guides them home.
The source saysScientists are not exactly sure how salmon complete this incredible feat ... Most feel that salmon are guided home by the characteristic odor of the parent stream
The page saysADW says salmon stop feeding before spawning and do not eat once they re-enter fresh water, despite seeming willing to take an artificial fly.
The source saysPrior to spawning, salmon cease to feed; they do not eat after they re-enter fresh water to spawn, despite their apparent willingness to take an artificial fly
The page saysADW gives a range of 2.3 to 9.1 kg for sea-run salmon.
The source saysSea-run salmon range from 2.3 to 9.1 kg
The page saysADW notes a rod-caught world record of 35.89 kg from Norway's Tana River.
The source saysThe world record rod-caught Atlantic salmon weighed 35.89 kg and was caught in the Tana River of Norway.

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.