Pink salmon, or humpback salmon, is showing remarkable resilience in a changing climate, becoming one of the so-called "climate winners." The population of this species in the northern Pacific Ocean is rapidly increasing, helped by warming ocean waters and active fish farming operations. Just last autumn about 8 million individuals returned to spawn in the Puget Sound basin, making pink salmon the most numerous salmon species in the region.
However, the success of pink salmon creates serious problems for other salmon species, especially Chinook (king) salmon, which is already facing numerous threats. Unlike pink salmon, Chinook have enormous economic and cultural importance for Indigenous peoples and Northwest residents, and they play a key role in the ecosystem as a primary food source for orcas. Experts emphasize that the rise of one species cannot compensate for the decline of others that have unique value to the region.
Based on: Why pink salmon are climate winners