Black meat from a Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)

Observation from Shane Padgett:

During our seasonal subsistence harvest, an OVK employee brought this fish sample back to the tribal offices, from Falls Lake/ Falls Creek, on Baranoff Island. The fish was caught, using a gill net.This is an unusual coloration for fish meat that is seasonally harvested, and desired, for its delicious taste and splendor.

Ted Meyers, State Fish Pathologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, writes:

The blackened meat color is likely caused by a cancer of the black melanin pigment forming cells. The tumor is known as a melanoma. A melanoma will often ooze black fluid that will stain other nearby tissues black. 9/11/2018

Comments from LEO Editors:

All teleost, or ray finned fish, can develop tumors. As described in Common Diseases of Wild and Cultured Fish in Alaska malignant tumors in fish develop from the same factors as they do in other animals, such as exposure to viruses, physical trauma, and environmental chemicals, as well as through genetic factors. This condition is isolated to the fish showing symptoms, and is not transmissible. Erica Lujan

An isolated incident like this is not unusual. However if the condition starts to occur with any frequency or on more fish, then some environmental factor may be at play. Mike Brubaker