Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
The Pink Salmon
The Uninvited Guest from the Pacific
The Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) is native to the North Pacific - from Alaska to Japan. Released through Soviet stocking programmes from the 1950s to the 1990s in the White Sea and the Kola Peninsula, it has since spread explosively across all of Northern Europe.
In Finland it is called Kyttyrälohi and has been observed in increasing numbers in the rivers of Lapland since 2017. Its characteristic hump (on spawning-ready males) and the large oval black spots on its tail make it unmistakable. The Pink Salmon has a strict 2-year life cycle: it hatches, migrates to the sea, grows for 18 months, returns, spawns and dies.
The invasion is classified as a serious threat to native Salmon and Trout. Pink Salmon compete for spawning sites, alter the nutrient balance of rivers through massive carcasses, and can introduce parasites. Finland, Norway and Sweden actively recommend the removal of every caught specimen.
Identification: Pink Salmon vs. Atlantic Salmon
Pink Salmon (invasive)
- Large, clearly visible black spots on the tail fin
- Hump on the back (males, pronounced from July)
- Small scales, very numerous
- Thin, narrow caudal peduncle
- Skin turns dark grey to black in the river
- Large oval spots - no X-shaped spots
Atlantic Salmon (native)
- Few or no spots on the tail fin
- No hump, streamlined body
- Large, clearly visible scales
- Broad, strong caudal peduncle
- Silver flanks with scattered dark spots
- X-shaped spots above the lateral line
Season & activity
The Pink Salmon appears in rivers for just a few weeks each year - but then in enormous numbers. It no longer feeds but reacts aggressively to lures.
SourcesInvasion Chronicle in Finland
The Pink Salmon has been spreading explosively across Scandinavia since 2017. In odd years, run numbers are particularly high (2-year cycle).
First mass occurrence in northern Norway
Large schools reach Teno/Näätämöjoki (FI)
Record run: tens of thousands of Pink Salmon in Lapland
Biggest run so far: an estimated 140,000-180,000 fish in the Teno
Norwegian trap near the Teno mouth removes nearly 29,000 fish
Diet Spectrum
Most feeding and growth take place at sea. Juveniles may also feed in fresh water; adults returning to spawn normally stop feeding but can still take lures. The prey examples below describe the marine feeding phase, not percentages of a river diet.
- Plankton & krill
- Small fish (Capelin, Sand eel)
- Squid
- Shrimp
Potential ecological effects
Spawning Site Competition
Pink Salmon spawn on the same gravel bars as Atlantic Salmon and Trout, in late summer before them. Large runs may crowd the spawning grounds; the effects are still being studied.
Nutrient Input
Tens of thousands of decomposing fish increase nitrogen and phosphorus input into oligotrophic rivers. Can trigger algae blooms.
Disease Risk
As a Pacific species, the Pink Salmon potentially introduces foreign parasites and pathogens into Atlantic waters.
Genetic Introgression
Pink Salmon belong to a different genus and are not known to hybridise with Atlantic Salmon in the wild. No genetic threat is known.
Food Web
Eagles, bears and otters benefit from the massive food supply. Long-term effects on native fish stocks are unclear.
Spread Rate
Every odd year since 2017 has brought big runs, above all in the Teno and other Arctic rivers of Norway and Finland - an estimated 140,000–180,000 fish in the Teno in 2023. The Baltic side has had no runs.
How to Fish for Pink Salmon
Although the Pink Salmon no longer feeds in the river, it responds to the bite reflex: it snaps at anything that enters its territory. Bright, provocative lures in vivid colours are especially effective.
The fish run upstream in dense schools. At bottlenecks and rapids they concentrate - that's where the chances are best. The peak phase lasts only a few weeks (early July to mid-August), then it's over.
Spin Fishing
July - SeptemberLarge, bright spinners and spoons. Pink, orange and chartreuse are the colours. Aggressive retrieval style.
Fly Fishing
July - AugustLarge, colourful flies (Pink Shrimp, Egg Patterns). Presented right in front of the nose. Swinging or stripping.
Bottom Fishing
August - SeptemberAt the spawning site with a single hook and bright lure. Effective but locally restricted in some areas.
Kill & Report
July - AugustKill caught pink salmon immediately in the Teno catchment. The Teno border river uses its electronic catch register; listed tributary areas have their own reporting rules. Outside the catchment in mainland Finland, anglers aged 16 or over must report catches promptly and within 14 days through Luke’s official channels. Photos supplement the report but do not replace it.
Where Pink Salmon Appear in Finland
In Finland the invasion is confined to the rivers that drain to the Arctic Ocean - above all the Teno and the Näätämöjoki; the Baltic side has had no runs. In odd years (2025, 2027...) the run numbers are particularly high.
Teno (Tana)
69.9°N, 27.0°EEpicentre of the invasion in Finland
An estimated 140,000-180,000 Pink Salmon ran up this border river to Norway in 2023 - far more than Atlantic Salmon. A Norwegian-run trap near the river mouth removed nearly 29,000 in 2025, and both countries call for active removal. In 2026, the visitor other-species permit requires one light fly rod up to AFTM 6, floating line, at most a size-8 single hook and tippet up to 0.25 mm. The ordinary period is 10 June–10 August; specified mapped reaches extend to 20 August. Follow the weekly closure and area restrictions. This page’s general spinning and bottom-fishing methods are not permission to use them on Teno (Teno rules).
Näätämöjoki
69.7°N, 29.0°EFlows on into Norway
The river crosses into Norway, where it is called the Neidenelva, and most of its pink salmon have been found on the Norwegian side. Its small Atlantic Salmon stock has probably missed its management target since 2020, which makes it particularly vulnerable. In 2026, Metsähallitus sells no visitor fishing permits in the Näätämö catchment, including Silisjoki. That restricts this provider’s access, not every local fishing right or the Norwegian river stretch. Do not plan purchasable visitor rapids access without a confirmed valid permission (Eräluvat).
Tornionjoki
66.4°N, 23.8°EBaltic side: no pink salmon runs
Unlike the Teno and Näätämöjoki on the Arctic coast, the Tornionjoki - the largest wild Atlantic Salmon river on the Baltic - has had no pink salmon runs: none has been detected or reported in the Baltic Sea region for the last 40 years. Anglers should still learn to recognise the species and report any suspected fish to Luke, so that a first arrival would be noticed early.
Eating Quality: Surprisingly Good!
Report Your Catch - Help Science
Teno has separate rules: caught pink salmon must be killed immediately throughout the catchment. In the border river, enter the catch in the electronic Teno catch register under its applicable rules. The tributary areas listed in Decree 367/2026 have their own reporting requirements, including reporting before 1 September; check the actual area and permit. Elsewhere in the catchment, do not assume that either the border-river process or the national 14-day deadline applies.
There is no pink-salmon-specific national closed season or minimum size on the mainland. That does not allow any method or unrestricted fishing: water closures, allowed gear, local catch conditions and permits still apply (Luke; Reporting Decree 716/2024; Teno rules).
