It can be either, depending on the animal it is interacting with.
in reality a Chinook salmon is prey but in some cases it is the predator
salmon and all species of fish and also eat berrys, and grasses
lasiodora parahybana ( salmon pink Bird eater) is an ambush predator. When it detects it's prey, from movement or chemically, it will wait in the vicinity, pounce and envenomate immediately until the prey is subdued. Then chow time!
California sea lions prey on anchovies, herring, Pacific whiting, rockfish, hake, salmon, squid, and octopuses
usually they eat salmon. Its in the time period that they just woke up from hibernation so they eat as much salmon as they can until its time. For the rest of the time they eat nearly anything edible but usually their prey is something big, like a penguin to a polar bear.
Salmon are prey for a variety of animals, including larger fish like trout and pike, as well as mammals like otters, bears, and seals. Birds such as eagles and osprey also feed on salmon. Additionally, humans are significant predators of salmon for both subsistence and commercial fishing.
Salmon encounter much hardships on their journey to spawn. A salmon has to swim the opposite way a stream is flowing, Salmon have to jump up mini waterfalls where hungry brown or black bears are waiting, other fish tend to eat the eggs or the fish that are about to spawn, they risk getting eaten by birds such as gannets and hawks and humans tend to prey on Salmon to eat.
Stocked salmon disrupt natural wild populations because it gets the individual species of a community out of sync. The larger fish and animals that eat the salmon will not be able to keep up with the rapid increase in population and progeny of the stocked salmon. In addition, the animals that salmon prey on (small aquatic species such as plankton) may all be consumed and disappear from the community altogether.
Several sea creatures prey on salmon, including larger fish like halibut and mackerel, as well as marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and orcas. Birds, particularly eagles and seagulls, also hunt juvenile salmon and their eggs. Additionally, certain species of sharks may target salmon when they are in coastal waters.
California sea lions prey on anchovies, herring, Pacific whiting, rockfish, hake, salmon, squid, and octopuses
Tuna are carnivorous fish that primarily feed on smaller fish, squid, and crustaceans. While they could potentially consume salmon if given the opportunity, their diet tends to consist of a variety of other prey items.
Salmon living in freshwater environments typically have a more streamlined body shape and brighter colors compared to those in saltwater. They also have different behaviors and diets, with freshwater salmon often feeding on insects and other small organisms, while saltwater salmon feed on larger prey like fish. Additionally, freshwater salmon must navigate obstacles like dams and predators, while saltwater salmon face challenges such as predators and changing ocean conditions.