There are several species of salmon, in the broader respectively in the narrower sense. The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is a ray-finned fish in the family Salmonidae. It is the third largest, behind the Siberian taimen and the Pacific Chinook salmon, growing up to an average length of 1 meter. The Atlantic salmon can be found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into it. Most populations are living in streams and rivers but moving out to sea as they grow where they mature, after which the adults seasonally move upstream again to spawn. In Germany - for example - this species is critically endangered (possibly extinct).  For instance - according to the IUCN Red List - the species is now classified as endangered in Great Britain. The global Atlantic salmon population is near threatened due to the latest IUCN species reassessment, before that it was classified as least concern. Here are some links to the topic, for example:

- Conservation group petitions for Alaska king salmon to be listed as an endangered species (phys.org)

- Atlantic Salmon: Lifecycle, Endangerment, and Preservation - Environment Co

- Salmon | Nutrition, Migration & Lifecycle | Britannica

- IUCN Classifies Atlantic Salmon As Endangered - Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (gwct.org.uk)

- Freshwater fish highlight escalating climate impacts on species, warns IUCN Red List | WWF (panda.org)

- Atlantic salmon now Near Threatened on IUCN Red List - Westcountry Rivers Trust (wrt.org.uk)

- A Quarter of Freshwater Fish Are at Risk of Extinction, a New Assessment Finds - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

- Salmon (nationalgeographic.com)

(last visit: 14. January 2024).