Salmon Reproduction: How Salmon Eggs Develop and Hatch

Salmon do not give birth to live young. Salmon are oviparous, which means they reproduce by laying eggs. The eggs are fertilized externally by the male salmon after the female has released them into the water. The fertilized eggs then hatch into fry, which are small juvenile salmon. The fry live in the freshwater streams where they were hatched for a period of time before migrating to the ocean.