Atlantic salmon (salmo salar) are found in Europe, the United States and Canada. A cold water, carnivorous fish, it has also been introduced in South America and Oceania. Following the first stage of its life cycle in fresh water, it is moved to the ocean in southern Chile between regions X and XII. These fish reach maturity at 16 months, weighing 5 kilograms and measuring between 60 and 70 cm, and achieve their target weight for sale at 5.5 kilograms. In the wild, their average life expectancy is between 3 to 5 years, though some 10-year-old specimens have been reported, and they die after returning to fresh water rivers to spawn.

Pacific or Coho salmon (oncorhynchus kisuch) are non-native, carnivorous cold water fish that belong to the salmonoide family. Following the first stage of its life cycle in fresh water, it is taken to ocean grow-out sites in southern Chile between regions X and XII. These fish reach their average commercial weight of 3.5 kilograms in 9 months. In the wild, Pacific salmon always die after returning to fresh water rivers to spawn.