Condition factor vs Lipid Level

The condition of salmon is often quantified using the K Factor; a measure calculated from the fish weight and length. One might suspect this K factor is related to the lipid content but as this graph shows there was not a significant relationship between Percentage Gross Lipid and K Factor at the three locations we tested.

810x413Gross Lipid- see Methods.  The formula W x 105 / L3 was used to calculate K Factor also called Fulton Condition Factor (W = weight(grams), L = length(mm)).  Location: Ocean is marine environment within 50 km of Skeena River mouth (at Tyee), Kitwanga (55 05 20.19N, 128 01 06.02W) is 190 km migration distance upriver and Fulton (54 48 56.39N, 126 10 00.10W) is entrance to spawning channels 360 km upriver plus 84 km Nilkitwa and Babine Lakes.  Data for Ocean and Kitwanga is from 2012 sampling, data for Fulton is from 2016.

Example of Condition Factor (K Factor) definitions for trout and salmon from http://bamboorods.ca/Trout%20condition%20factor.pdf
K value 0.08 to 1.60
   1.60 – Excellent condition, trophy class fish.
   1.40 – A good, well proportioned fish.
   1.20 – A fair fish, acceptable to many anglers.
   1.00 – A poor fish, long and thin.
   0.80 – Extremely poor fish, big head and narrow, thin body.