Pink salmon were accidentally introduced into Lake Superior in 1956 in Canadian waters and that single stocking event led to continued natural reproduction in the Great Lakes.
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Pink Salmon and Chinook Salmon can hybridize. These hybrids are called “Pinooks.” Pinooks have variable characteristics and their appearance can be similar to either parent species.
Salmon are not a native fish species to the Great Lakes. There is another non-native fish species that was introduced to these bodies of water that is also an invasive species–sea lamprey. These fish were accidentally introduced into the Great Lakes between 1936-1946.
White-fleshed king salmon don't have the genetic ability to break down their food and store the red-orange carotene in their muscle cells. The marbled flesh color sometimes found in king salmon comes from their limited ability to metabolize carotene, causing the flesh to take on a marbled look.
Once adult pacific salmon re-enter fresh water on their way to spawning grounds, they stop eating. This is why it is so important to gather nutrients while in the saltwater. If they are unable to store the energy required to make migration they will not survive long enough to reproduce.