The sockeye salmon, also called red salmon, kokanee salmon, or blueback salmon, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it. This species is a Pacific salmon that is primarily red in hue during spawning.

Why is red salmon more expensive?

Q--Why is red salmon always more expensive than pink salmon, and what is the difference? A--Salmon, even the highly prized Chinook, or king salmon, can range in color from white to deep red. The darker the color, the better the flavor and firmer the flesh, which is why it is more expensive.

What makes salmon red?

These pigments, called carotenoids, are found in their diet of shrimp, krill, and crabs—crustaceans that are rich in astaxanthin, a carotenoid found in most marine life. ... The ability to metabolize carotenoids is a dominate trait; therefore the majority of king salmon have red flesh.