The more we talk about wild Alaska salmon, the more I’m reminded how much there is to learn. Even after more than 20 years catching it, selling it, cooking it, and watching consumer preferences shift, salmon still refuses to become simple.
A thoughtful reader recently asked two excellent questions: does sockeye contain more astaxanthin than coho, and where does all the sockeye actually go after harvest? Those questions get right to the heart of how people understand wild salmon, because color, nutrition, abundance, and markets all shape what customers see and what they believe.
There are five species of wild Alaska salmon: king, sockeye, coho, keta, and pink. In Alaska, fishermen often call those same fish kings, reds, silvers, dogs or chums, and humpies. Over the years we’ve sold all five species in different forms, including steaks, filets, portions, whole fish, and H&G salmon.
Each species has its own place. King salmon, also known as Chinook, is the largest, richest, and most prized, but availability is limited and carefully managed. Sockeye is firm, deeply colored, durable, and heavily valued in both domestic and export markets. Coho is balanced, mild, and versatile, which is one reason so many fishermen like it for eating. Keta is leaner and especially valued internationally for its roe, while pink salmon is the smallest and most abundant of the five, often familiar to people through canned salmon.
The color question is fascinating because it is both meaningful and easy to overstate. Wild salmon get their red, orange, and pink color from carotenoids in their marine diet, especially astaxanthin, which moves up the food chain through plankton, krill, and other small crustaceans. Sockeye generally contains more astaxanthin than coho, which helps explain its deeper color, but every fish is different. Diet, age, ocean conditions, harvest timing, and natural variation all matter.
Astaxanthin is one reason sockeye is so visually striking. It is also an antioxidant, which is why many health-minded customers pay attention to it. But flesh color is still only one part of the salmon story. It does not automatically tell you which salmon has more omega-3s, which one cooks better, which one your family will prefer, or which one belongs on your table on a normal weeknight.
That is where people often confuse a strong visual signal with the entire quality conversation. Sockeye deserves its reputation. It is abundant, nutrient-dense, beautiful, flavorful, and commercially important. But coho also has a real place, especially for people who want a milder flavor, a firm texture, and an easier fish to cook well.
The other question, where does all the sockeye go, has a longer answer. Alaska salmon has always been a global food. Once fishermen deliver their fish, processors, exporters, distributors, retailers, and foodservice buyers all influence where it ends up. Historically, Japan has been an especially strong market for high-quality sockeye and salmon roe, but Alaska salmon also moves through the United States, Europe, China, and broader Asian markets.
That global demand is one reason customers in the Lower 48 became so familiar with sockeye over time. It is not necessarily because sockeye is the only wild salmon worth eating. It is also because sockeye is harvested in large numbers, handles well, freezes well, ships well, and has the deep red color many shoppers learned to associate with wild salmon.
The 2026 Alaska salmon forecast gives a useful window into that broader picture. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is forecasting a statewide commercial harvest of roughly 125.5 million salmon this year, including about 49.7 million sockeye, 56 million pink salmon, 17.2 million keta, and 2.4 million coho. Those interested in the full forecast and management details can read the complete ADF&G report here.
Pink salmon deserves a special note here because its numbers can swing dramatically from year to year. Pinks have a two-year life cycle, which creates separate odd-year and even-year lines that do not intermingle. In many areas of Alaska, odd-numbered years tend to produce larger pink harvests than even-numbered years, so a lower pink forecast in 2026 is not automatically a sign that salmon is “in trouble.” It is part of a long-observed biological cycle, with managers still watching escapement and run strength as the season unfolds.
Kodiak is a good example of how specific these forecasts can become. ADF&G does not simply announce one generic salmon number and walk away. The 2026 report looks at area-specific expectations, including Kodiak pink salmon and several sockeye systems such as Ayakulik, Karluk, Alitak, and Spiridon Lake. That level of detail matters because Alaska salmon fisheries are managed in real time, with enough fish needing to return to spawn before harvest opportunity is expanded.
Alaska’s salmon fishery is widely considered one of the best managed fisheries in the world. Forecasts are not guarantees, and harvests are not simply a matter of catching as much as possible. The fish have to return to spawn, the numbers have to make sense, and managers must constantly account for natural variation, ocean conditions, river systems, escapement goals, and the people who depend on salmon for food and work.
That complexity is exactly what makes wild salmon so interesting. These fish are food, but they are also biology, weather, ocean conditions, culture, market demand, family income, subsistence, international trade, and dinner. A single filet carries far more history than most people realize.
Maybe that is the point worth remembering. There is no single “best” salmon for every person, every kitchen, every season, or every market. There are five species of wild Alaska salmon, and each one tells a different part of the story.
Right now, our story happens to be coho. We’ll have plenty at market this weekend, and as the 2026 Alaska salmon season unfolds, we’ll continue watching the runs closely.
Want a quick guide to flavor, texture, and cooking methods for all five species?
Read: Which wild salmon is your favorite?
Catch you at the market,
Kenny
