chinook salmon

a large salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, found in the northern Pacific Ocean. Also called king salmon, quinnat salmon. See illus. under salmon.

[1850-55, Amer.]

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or king salmon

Prized North Pacific food and sport fish (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) of the salmon family.

The average weight is about 22 lbs (10 kg), but individuals of 50–80 lbs (22–36 kg) are not unusual. Chinook salmon are silvery, with round black spots. In fresh water they are found from the Amur River of Asia northward and, across the Bering Sea, southward to the Sacramento River of North America. Their range in the open ocean extends farther south. During spring spawning runs, adults swim as far as 2,000 mi (3,200 km) up the Yukon River, spawn, and then die. Young chinook salmon enter the sea when one to three years old. They were successfully introduced into Lake Michigan, creating a new sport fishery after the virtual elimination of lake trout by sea lampreys in the mid 20th century.

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▪ fish

also called  king salmon,  spring salmon,  quinnat , or  tyee 

 (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) prized North Pacific food and sport fish of the family Salmonidae. It weighs up to 60 kg (130 pounds) and is silvery with round black spots. Spawning runs occur in spring, adults swimming as far as 3,200 km (2,000 miles) up the Yukon. Young chinook salmon do not enter the sea until they are one to three years old. The chinook salmon was introduced into Lake Michigan of the U.S. Great Lakes with conspicuous success, creating a new sport fishery there after the virtual elimination of lake trout by sea lampreys.

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