Salmon are tertiary consumers. This means they eat animals that eat animals that eat primary producers (phytoplankton). Confusing? Salmon are hatched in fresh water and swim out to sea when they are big enough to fend for themselves. Living in both fresh and salt water is called anadromy. They always return to the exact stream or river that spawned them. Some salmon die when the spawn, while others can spawn a number of times. There are several species of salmon in the Pacific Northwest; coho, chum, sockeye, spring, and pink. They are an important food source for many animals.

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