Gene Conservation Laboratory
The Salmon Story — Smolt

Salmon smolt

4. Smolt

The smolt stage occurs when the fish are ready to enter saltwater. This stage is signaled by the loss of parr marks, transforming the fry to a silvery color that the fish keep all the while they are in saltwater, until they mature as adults. Salmon are anadromous, which means they hatch in freshwater, move into the ocean to live and mature, and then return to freshwater to spawn.

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