Identification of wild and reared Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., using scale characters

This study describes differences in scale characters between fanned, ranched and wild Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar h., and proposes a method to distinguish between the different groups. Six characters were found to differ: (1) smolt size; (2) smolt age; (3) transition from fresh water to salt water; (4) sea winter bands; (5) summer checks; (6) replacement scales. The combined use of these characters in a score system gave good separation between fanned and wild salmon, but not for ranched salmon.