The farming cycle for salmon is a specific, unique one. The “Hatchery” phase involves carefully incubating, hatching, and early rearing salmon eggs and fry in controlled freshwater environments. It is a foundational step that ensures the successful production of healthy salmon for both aquaculture and conservation purposes. The “Transport to Pens” phase refers to the process of transferring juvenile salmon, typically called smolts, from hatcheries or nursery facilities to larger grow-out facilities found in coastal waters. The “Pens” phase in salmon farming is a crucial stage where smolts transition from freshwater to saltwater environments and grow to market size in controlled marine pens. This phase ensures the health and productivity of farmed salmon while supporting sustainable aquaculture practices. The “Transport to Plant” phase refers to transporting harvested salmon from the marine pens or net cages to processing plants where they are cleaned, processed, and prepared for distribution to markets. The “Processing Plant” phase involves the cleaning, preparation, and packaging of harvested salmon before they are distributed to consumers.

The color of salmon meat varies from deep red to an almost white color. The color comes from the pigmentation of carotenoids. An example of one of the carotenoids is astaxanthin. Carotenoids are what give lobsters and shrimp a red color when they are cooked. Wild salmon naturally obtain them from eating tiny shellfish, while they are fed to farmed salmon. DSM, a Dutch health & nutrition company, trademarked and copyrighted the SalmoFan, which is a good key for categorizing salmon meat color. Conventional farmed salmon fillets range from 23 to 30, most commonly ranging from 25 to 27.

Wild-caught salmon comes in a few distinct species. The life cycle of wild salmon is different from farm-raised salmon. The life cycle of a wild salmon encompasses six distinct phases: Eggs: Salmon begin life as eggs are laid in freshwater gravel beds. Protected by a shell, these eggs develop over the winter and hatch in spring. Alevin: After hatching, the young salmon, now called alevin, remain in the gravel. They feed off the yolk sac attached to their bodies, providing them with essential nutrients. Fry: Once the yolk sac is absorbed, the salmon emerge from the gravel as fry. They start to swim and actively feed in the freshwater environment, growing stronger. Smolts: As the fry grow into smolts, they undergo physiological changes to adapt from freshwater to saltwater. This process, called smoltification, prepares them for their journey to the ocean. Adult: After transitioning to the ocean, the salmon mature into adults. They spend several years in the ocean, growing and gaining strength while avoiding predators. Spawning: Mature adults return to their natal freshwater streams to spawn. They navigate back to where they were born, lay eggs, and fertilize them. After spawning, most salmon die, completing their life cycle and providing nutrients to the ecosystem.