Our Aquarium

The Atlantic salmon is a renowned symbol of perseverance and adaptation.

It is a vital component of river and ocean ecosystems and possesses a long history filled with significant cultural and economic value for a wide range of people.

For thousands of years salmon have held a unique relationship with humankind.

Reindeer antler carvings of Atlantic salmon dating back to over 20 000 years ago have been discovered in Southern France.

Celtic peoples believed them to be the holder of all mysterious knowledge of the past and present.

During the middle ages, Atlantic salmon were known as the all-knowing water creature in Arthurian legends and in aboriginal history they hold an important place in a number of legends and ceremonies.

The Altantic salmon received its scientific name, Salmo Salar meaning ‘The Leaper’, in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus and today it continues to be an important part of the environment and modern culture.

It is a remarkable creature; adapting to both fresh and saltwater numerous times throughout its life; traveling over 4000 km to their feeding grounds near Greenland then returning to their birthplace to spawn, hurdling up to 12 foot waterfalls along the way.

The Miramichi river, approximately 250 km long, has the largest salmon run in North Eastern America and brings in up to 20% of all North American returns every year. Archeological excavations along the river revealed a number of fishing villages and camps dating back 3, 000 years ago and in the early 1900’s the commercial salmon fishing industry was thriving on the river.

Today, with declining salmon populations, the focus has shifted toward the conservation of Atlantic salmon; however, the Miramichi River remains world famous for sport fishing, attracting thousands of fishermen every season.

The Atlantic Salmon Museum located in Doaktown, New Brunswick on the Main Southwest Miramichi River, housing an extensive collection of artifacts, details the life, culture and history of the Atlantic salmon and emphasizes the importance of conservation.

We are one of many organizations that strive to protect and preserve this valuable resource for future generations.

Here are 25 Funky Salmon Facts!

Atlantic Salmon can jump up to 12-14 feet in the air.
Atlantic Salmon have “pin-like” teeth when at sea, which they lose when they return to the River and are replaced by triangular teeth.
Atlantic Salmon are one of the 60 Anadromous (able to live in both fresh and salt water) fish of 22000 species of bony fish.
The tail of an Atlantic Salmon elongates when they move from fresh water to salt water.
Salmon return to the place of their birth to spawn by using their sense of smell, magnetic fields and changes in pressure to find their way home. Pressure changes are detected by the lateral lines of scales.
Atlantic Salmon can detect one drop of scent in 10 Olympic size swimming pools.
A female Atlantic Salmon will lay approximately 1500 – 1600 eggs per kg of her weight when she spawns.
Of 7500 eggs, approximately 1.1 Atlantic Salmon will survive to return to spawn.
Atlantic Salmon can go for up to 22 months without eating.
Atlantic Salmon can live for up to 15 years of age.
Atlantic Salmon can reach swimming speeds of up to 30km/h.
When is freshwater Atlantic Salmon are most sensitive to yellow and green colors, then when swiching to saltwater, their eyes change and they become more sensitive to blue.
Atlantic Salmon vary slightly in size and shape according to the brook or river system they originate from.
The rings on the Atlantic Salmon’s scales tell the story of their age; sections of rapid growth can be shown by wide spaces between the lines, sections of slow growth can be shown by thin spaces.
DNA from the scales of the Atlantic Salmon can tell where they were born.
Celtic Lore holds the Atlantic Salmon as the symbol of secret knowledge.
Some historians believe that Julius Caesar was said to give the Salmon their original name, which was, “Salmo Salar”, meaning the leaper!
The biggest Atlantic Salmon hooked to date was 103 pounds and was caught ina net off the coast of Ireland.
Some Atlantic Salmon never go to sea; instead they inhabit lakes and river systems bordering the North Atlantic.
Atlantic Salmon lay their eggs in “redds”.
The Atlantic Salmon is one of only 87 fish species that migrate between fresh water and the ocean.
Unlike Pacific Salmon that die after they spawn, wild Atlantic Salmon survive and can repeat their migration cycle and spawn again.
For every million Atlantic Salmon eggs spawned, one albino fish will be will be produced.
Although many runs of salmon are extinct or reduced, Atlantic Salmon can still be found in the rivers of Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, France, Spain and the United States.
Atlantic Salmon are known as the “King of Fish”!