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FISH GUIDE · Freshwater / Sea

Atlantic salmon: identification, habitat and fishing guide

Salmo salar

Atlantic salmon alternates between river and sea during its life. Fishing is prohibited under the Seine-Normandie 2026–2027 framework and restricted elsewhere; this guide recommends no targeted fishing. The order of 5 May 2026 also prohibits fishing for it in freshwater in Pyrénées-Atlantiques during 2026, including catch-and-release angling.

Catalogue names : Atlantic salmon. Forms and names may vary between habitats.

Editorial review : · This species guide is not permission to fish. Read the precautions below and check the current rules for your location before targeting a species. Some species or populations are protected.

Geographical distribution

Native on both sides of the North Atlantic, with North American and European rivers and landlocked populations. Brittany and Normandy are among documented French regions. Historical presence in a drainage does not guarantee a current breeding population.

  • Native range : North Atlantic
  • Native range : Northeastern North American Atlantic drainages
  • Documented presence : Brittany and Normandy

Documented areas, not an exhaustive list. Presence in a region does not imply presence in every water body or permission to fish.

Distribution sources

Identification

A slender body, dark spots often shaped like Xs, narrow tail base and mouth not extending clearly beyond the eye. Colour changes with age and spawning; distinguishing it from trout requires several features.

Habitat

Gravel-bed rivers for juveniles and spawning, then coastal waters and the open North Atlantic. A fish pass’s presence does not permit fishing there.

Diet

River juveniles eat insects and larvae; at sea, mainly small fish and crustaceans. Adults ascending to spawn stop feeding.

Behaviour

An anadromous migrant: juvenile growth in rivers, a marine period, then return to freshwater to spawn. Return to the natal river is associated with olfactory memory.

Fishing context and precautions

Identification and protection sheet: no targeted fishing is proposed. The Seine-Normandie 2026–2027 framework prohibits salmon fishing in fresh and brackish water and requires every capture to be released immediately. Do not prolong handling for a photograph. The 2026 Pyrénées-Atlantiques prohibition also covers freshwater targeting with planned release; no permission for another basin is inferred.

A distinctive feature

A spawning male can develop a hooked lower jaw, known as a kype.

Sources and review

Each reference includes its access date. Overall editorial review: . Local conditions and regulations may change.

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