Salmon & Steelhead

Salmon and steelhead start their lives in freshwater streams and tributaries. They then migrate downstream, rearing and maturing, before they reach the ocean. They live in the ocean for 2 to 5 years, migrating thousands of miles, before beginning the journey upstream to their natal streams where they spawn to produce the next generation of fish. This remarkable life cycle is what makes salmon and steelhead truly unique. NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region works to protect, conserve, and recover the region's 28 listed salmon and steelhead species.