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Types of salmon in this guide are the six species that NOAA Fisheries profiles in its species directory: five Pacific salmon (chinook, sockeye, coho, pink and chum) and Atlantic salmon. This guide lists each species with its scientific name and the other names NOAA records, adds USDA SR Legacy values for eight cooked and two canned entries, and shows where salmon sits on the FDA and EPA “Advice about Eating Fish” chart. For one-fish detail, see our salmon guide.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- The five Pacific salmon in this guide belong to the genus Oncorhynchus in NOAA's classification, and Atlantic salmon is Salmo salar.
- NOAA says wild-caught Atlantic salmon is not available and that the Atlantic salmon in U.S. markets comes from coastal salmon farms, mostly in Maine or Washington.
- In USDA data, 3 ounces of cooked salmon lists 118 to 196 calories and 18.8 to 22.5 grams of protein, depending on the species entry.
- The FDA and EPA chart names salmon once, with no split by species, and places it in its lowest-mercury category.
Types of salmon: the six salmon species NOAA lists
NOAA Fisheries places the five Pacific salmon in the genus Oncorhynchus and Atlantic salmon in the genus Salmo. Each species carries several other names, and NOAA lists them under “Also Known As”: chinook is also called king salmon, sockeye is red salmon or blueback salmon, coho is silver salmon, and pink salmon is humpback salmon. The table gives the scientific name, a few of those names, and NOAA’s own description of the flesh color for each species.
| Species (scientific name) | Other names NOAA lists | Flesh color in NOAA's words |
|---|---|---|
| Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) | King salmon, Spring salmon, Tyee | Almost always red, never pink, except for the rare white-meat variety |
| Sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka) | Red salmon, Blueback salmon | Reddest flesh of the wild salmon species |
| Coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) | Silver salmon, Medium red salmon | Reddish-orange, usually pinker than that of chum salmon |
| Pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) | Humpback salmon, Humpy | Pale pink |
| Chum (Oncorhynchus keta) | Keta, Calico salmon | Paler than sockeye, coho, and Chinook salmon |
| Atlantic (Salmo salar) | Sea run salmon, Black salmon | Reddish-orange or pink |
NOAA describes pink salmon as the smallest of the Pacific salmon found in North America and chum salmon as one of the largest, second only to chinook in size. NOAA also notes that some sockeye never go to sea: these non-anadromous sockeye are known as kokanee in the Pacific Northwest. The names on a menu or a package can therefore differ from the species name while describing the same fish, which is why the FDA allergen rules discussed below ask for the species.
Pacific and Atlantic salmon species in the market
NOAA lists the five Pacific species as wild-caught U.S. fish from Alaska and the West Coast, and gives each its own market season. Sockeye, by NOAA’s account, is sold fresh in summer and early fall and frozen, canned and smoked year-round; pink and chum salmon are sold fresh from late summer and frozen and canned year-round; coho is sold fresh mainly from summer through late fall; chinook fresh mainly in summer and early fall and frozen year-round.
Atlantic salmon is the exception in NOAA’s account. NOAA says “commercial and recreational fishing for Atlantic salmon in the United States is prohibited,” and its seafood box reads: “Wild-caught Atlantic salmon is not available. Farm-raised Atlantic salmon is available year-round.” The Atlantic salmon in U.S. markets, NOAA says, comes from coastal salmon farms, mostly in Maine or Washington. USDA SR Legacy keeps separate entries for wild and farmed Atlantic salmon and for wild and farmed coho, so a figure from one entry does not describe the other.
USDA values for cooked salmon species
The table lists USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries for salmon cooked with dry heat, at 3 ounces (85 grams). The percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values of 78 grams for total fat, 20 grams for saturated fat, 2,300 milligrams for sodium and 2.4 micrograms for B12; protein has no %DV here because the FDA labeling rule bases a protein %DV on an amount corrected for protein quality.
| Fish (USDA FDC ID) | Portion | Calories | Protein | Total fat (% DV) | Saturated fat (% DV) | Sodium (% DV) | Vitamin B12 (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon, Atlantic, wild (171998) | 3 oz (85 g) | 155 | 21.6 g | 6.9 g (9%) | 1.1 g (5%) | 48 mg (2%) | 2.6 mcg (108%) |
| Salmon, Atlantic, farmed (175168) | 3 oz (85 g) | 175 | 18.8 g | 10.5 g (13%) | 2.0 g (10%) | 52 mg (2%) | 2.4 mcg (99%) |
| Salmon, chinook (171999) | 3 oz (85 g) | 196 | 21.9 g | 11.4 g (15%) | 2.7 g (14%) | 51 mg (2%) | 2.4 mcg (102%) |
| Salmon, chum (172000) | 3 oz (85 g) | 131 | 21.9 g | 4.1 g (5%) | 0.9 g (5%) | 54 mg (2%) | 2.9 mcg (123%) |
| Salmon, coho, wild (173719) | 3 oz (85 g) | 118 | 19.9 g | 3.7 g (5%) | 0.9 g (4%) | 49 mg (2%) | 4.2 mcg (177%) |
| Salmon, coho, farmed (173716) | 3 oz (85 g) | 151 | 20.7 g | 7.0 g (9%) | 1.7 g (8%) | 44 mg (2%) | 2.7 mcg (112%) |
| Salmon, pink (172001) | 3 oz (85 g) | 130 | 20.9 g | 4.5 g (6%) | 0.8 g (4%) | 76 mg (3%) | 4.0 mcg (168%) |
| Salmon, sockeye (173692) | 3 oz (85 g) | 133 | 22.5 g | 4.7 g (6%) | 0.8 g (4%) | 78 mg (3%) | 3.8 mcg (158%) |
Fat varies most across the salmon species in USDA data. The chinook entry lists 11.4 grams of total fat per 3 ounces, 15% of the FDA Daily Value, and farmed Atlantic salmon 10.5 grams, while wild coho lists 3.7 grams and chum 4.1 grams. Calories follow the same pattern in USDA data, from 118 calories for wild coho to 196 calories for chinook.
Protein stays in a narrower band in USDA data, from 18.8 grams per 3 ounces for farmed Atlantic salmon to 22.5 grams for sockeye. USDA lists wild coho at 4.2 micrograms of vitamin B12, 177% of the FDA Daily Value, and pink salmon at 4.0 micrograms. Sodium stays between 44 and 78 milligrams per 3 ounces for every cooked entry in USDA data.
Canned salmon species in USDA data
NOAA lists sockeye and pink salmon among the species sold canned year-round. The table uses USDA SR Legacy entries for drained solids at 3 ounces (85 grams), with the same FDA Daily Values.
| Fish (USDA FDC ID) | Portion | Calories | Protein | Total fat (% DV) | Saturated fat (% DV) | Sodium (% DV) | Vitamin B12 (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon, pink, canned, drained (175175) | 3 oz (85 g) | 117 | 19.6 g | 4.3 g (5%) | 0.8 g (4%) | 324 mg (14%) | 4.2 mcg (175%) |
| Salmon, sockeye, canned, drained (173693) | 3 oz (85 g) | 142 | 20.1 g | 6.3 g (8%) | 1.2 g (6%) | 347 mg (15%) | 4.7 mcg (195%) |
In USDA data, canned pink salmon lists 117 calories and 324 milligrams of sodium per 3 ounces of drained solids, and canned sockeye 142 calories and 347 milligrams, against 76 and 78 milligrams for the cooked pink and sockeye entries. The Nutrition Facts label on a can is the figure for that product; see also low sodium foods.
Salmon on the FDA and EPA mercury chart
FDA and EPA wrote their “Advice about Eating Fish” for people who might become or are pregnant or breastfeeding and for parents and caregivers feeding children, and a healthcare provider can answer questions about a specific situation. FDA says the chart “can help you choose which fish to eat, and how often to eat them, based on their mercury levels.” The FDA chart has three categories: a lowest-mercury category, a middle category, and “Choices to Avoid,” which FDA marks as the highest mercury levels (advice revised October 2021).
| Salmon species | Name on the FDA/EPA chart | FDA/EPA chart category |
|---|---|---|
| Chinook | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
| Sockeye | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
| Coho | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
| Pink | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
| Chum | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
| Atlantic | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
FDA’s chart names salmon once, with no split by species or by wild and farmed fish, and places it in the lowest-mercury category, so every row above carries the same FDA entry. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, from USDA and HHS, say “mercury, in the form of methylmercury, is found in seafood in varying levels,” and describe seafood, “which includes fish and shellfish,” as a protein foods subgroup. Our types of fish guide places more species on FDA’s chart.
Salmon as a major food allergen
FDA lists fish, “like bass, flounder, and cod,” among the nine major food allergens. FDA’s allergen guidance (Edition 5, January 2025, nonbinding) lists bony fish “such as trout, flounder, bass, salmon, tilapia, cod, mackerel, tuna, and grouper,” and FDA says the species of fish must be declared, so the ingredient list or the “Contains” statement names the fish. FDA’s labeling rules do not replace an allergist’s advice about a specific fish.
More salmon and fish guides
Salmon species are one part of our seafood guides built on USDA and FDA data. Our types of tuna guide covers the tuna species with NOAA and USDA data, and our salmon roe guide covers the eggs. Related single-fish guides cover trout and arctic char, and lean protein foods and high protein foods rank fish among other foods.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many kinds of salmon are there?
This guide covers the six salmon species NOAA Fisheries profiles: chinook, sockeye, coho, pink and chum in the Pacific, and Atlantic salmon. USDA SR Legacy has cooked entries for all six.
What is king salmon?
NOAA lists king salmon as another name for chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha; USDA SR Legacy lists the cooked fish as salmon, chinook.
Is wild Atlantic salmon sold in U.S. stores?
NOAA says wild-caught Atlantic salmon is not available and that farm-raised Atlantic salmon is available year-round. USDA SR Legacy keeps separate wild and farmed Atlantic salmon entries.
Which salmon entry lists the most fat in USDA data?
In USDA data, cooked chinook lists 11.4 grams of total fat per 3 ounces, against 3.7 grams for wild coho.
Where does salmon sit on the FDA mercury chart?
FDA and EPA name salmon once, with no split by species, in the chart’s lowest-mercury category.
Is salmon a major food allergen?
FDA lists fish among the nine major food allergens and names salmon as a bony fish.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Types of Tuna: Species, FDA Can Labels and USDA Data, Salmon: Nutrition, Benefits and Wild vs Farmed Salmon, Types of Fish: 23 Fish With USDA Values and the FDA Mercury Chart.