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Diadromous Least Concern 🍽️ Edible 🎣 Game Fish 🐠 Aquarium 🌡️ Temperate

Sea trout

Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758
Brown Trout (Salmo trutta)
Brown Trout (Salmo trutta)
Max Length
140 cm
Max Weight
50.0 kg
Lifespan
38 yrs
Trophic Level
3.4
Depth
0–28 m
Climate
Temperate
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
60.00/100

📖 Overview

Found in streams, ponds, rivers and lakes . Individuals spend 1 to 5 years in fresh water and 6 months to 5 years in salt water . Juveniles mature in 3-4 years . Lacustrine populations undertake migration to tributaries and lake outlets to spawn, rarely spawning on stone, wave-washed lake shores. Spawns in rivers and streams with swift current, usually characterized by downward movement of water intro gravel . Spawning takes place normally more than one time . They prefer cold, well-oxygenated upland waters although their tolerance limits are lower than those of rainbow trout and favors large streams in the mountainous areas with adequate cover in the form of submerged rocks, undercut banks, and overhanging vegetation . Life history and spawning behavior is similar to the salmon Salmo salar . Each female produces about 10.000 eggs. Mainly diurnal . Sea and lake trouts forage in pelagic and littoral habitats, while sea trouts mainly close to coast, not very far from estuary of natal river . Juveniles feed mainly on aquatic and terrestrial insects; adults on mollusks, crustaceans and small fish. Marketed fresh and smoked; eaten fried, broiled, boiled, cooked in microwave, and baked .

Scientific Name
Salmo trutta
Authority
Linnaeus, 1758
Habitat
Diadromous
Climate
Temperate
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
140 cm
Max Weight
50 kg
Lifespan
38 years
Depth Range
0–28 m
Trophic Level
3.4
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
60.00/100
Migration
Anadromous
Water Temp
18–24 °C
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 3 - 4; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 15; Anal spines: 3 - 4; Anal soft rays: 9 - 14; Vertebrae: 57 - 59. Fusiform body . Head little and pointed . Mouth large, extending mostly after the eye and has well developed teeth . Teeth on shaft of vomer numerous and strongly developed . Caudal fin with 18-19 rays . Caudal peduncle thick and rounded . Little scales . Body is grey-blue colored with numerous spots, also below the lateral line . Blackish colored on upper part of body, usually orange on sides, surrounded by pale halos. Adipose fin with red margin.: fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.

🌀 Behaviour

Brown Trout are notoriously cautious and selective, making them a challenging target for anglers. They are highly territorial, holding specific feeding lies in rivers. Large fish are primarily nocturnal predators. They are intelligent enough to recognise artificial flies and become hook-shy in heavily fished waters.

🦐 Diet

Brown Trout are opportunistic predators feeding on aquatic invertebrates, terrestrial insects, small fish (including other trout), frogs, and rodents. Large fish shift to a predominantly piscivorous diet.

🥚 Reproduction

Spawn Location
Gravel
Size at Maturity
20.6cm TL
Larvae at Hatch
12mm

Female covers the eggs by restirring the sand and fine gravel . After hatching at 12 mm, larval brown trout remain in the gravel for 2-3 weeks until they are about 25 mm long, when they emerge to begin feeding in the water column. Brown trout are territorial and begin establishing territories as juveniles. Juvenile trout from lake populations move from their natal inlets to lakes during the first 2 years of life .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; freshwater; brackish; pelagic-neritic; anadromous ; depth range 0 - 28 m , usually 1 - 2 m . Temperate; 18°C - 24°C ; 71°N - 34°N, 25°W - 57°E Found in Iceland and northernmost rivers of Great Britain and Scandinavia.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 💧 Freshwater 🌿 Brackish 🐟 Pelagic
Migration
Anadromous
Trophic Level
3.4±0.1
Food Items

aquatic and terrestrial insects; adults on mollusks, crustaceans and small fish (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00871 × L3.03 (TL)
Max TL
140cm
Max Weight
50,000g
Dorsal Spines
4
Dorsal Rays
13
Anal Spines
4
Anal Rays
12
Vertebrae
58

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Temperature Range
18–24°C
Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2022

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Medium
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
60.00/100
High vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.4
Predator
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
Climate Zone
Temperate
Described By
Linnaeus, 1758

🍽️ Edibility & Flavour

4
out of 5 — Excellent
Flavour Profile
Delicate, earthy, slightly nutty
Texture
Firm, moist, medium flakes
Best Cooking Methods
Grilling Baking Pan-frying Broiling

Nutrition

Per 100g cooked — Source: USDA FoodData Central

Nutrient Amount
Calories 119 kcal
Protein 19.5 g
Total Fat 4.3 g
Omega-3 (total) 559 mg
EPA 170 mg
DHA 330 mg

🔬 Mercury Safety

🟢 Low Mercury 0.077 ppm mean concentration
Sea trout is considered a low-mercury fish and is safe for regular consumption — including for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children. The FDA and EPA recommend eating 2–3 servings per week of low-mercury fish.

🌿 Sustainability

Best Choice
Healthy stocks, low impact
Good Alternative
Well-managed, minor concerns
Use Caution
Check sourcing and season
Avoid
Overfished or high impact
✓ Sustainable Choice Seafood Watch: Good

🏆 World Records

Record Type Value Angler Location Date Line Class
Weight 20.1 kg W. Muir Loch Awe, Scotland 01 Jan 1866 All-Tackle

Source: IGFA All-Tackle World Records database

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Brown trout · Brownie · German Brown · Loch Leven Trout · Sea trout, Brown trout · Spotted Trout · brown/sea trout · lake trout · river trout · salmon trout · sea trout · trout · Amu-darya Trout · Aral Salmon · Aral Sea Trout · Aral Trout · Blacktail · Brook Trout · Finnock · Galway Sea Trout · Gillaroo · Herling · Hirling · Orange Fin · Orkney Sea Trout · Peal · Salmon · Sewin · Whiting · Whitling
🌍AFR Bruinforel
🌍ARG Truita común
🌍AZE Kumja
🌍BEL Кумжа
🌍BRE gleis i add
🏳️Catalan Truita comuna
🌍CES pstruh obecný
🌍CYM Brithyllod · brithyll · sewin · siwin
🇩🇰Danish Almindelig ørred · Bækørred · Havørred · Søørred · Ørred · ørred (bækørred, havørred & søørred)
🇩🇪German Atlantische Forelle · Bachforelle · Forelle · Meerforelle · Seeforelle
🌍ELL Καστανή πέστροφα
🌍EST Meriforell
🌍EUS Amuarrain arrunt
🌍FAO síl
🇫🇮Finnish meritaimen · taimen
🇫🇷French Truite commune · Truite commune européenne · Truite de lac · Truite de mer, Truite commune, Truite d'Europe · Truite fario · Truite à grosses taches · traite de lac · truite brune · truite de mer · truite de rivière
🌍GLA breac · bric
🌍GLE breac geal
🌍GLG Troita común
🇭🇷Croatian Potočna pastrva
🇭🇺Hungarian sebes pisztráng
🌍ISL urriði
🇮🇹Italian Trota atlantica · salmo trota · trotta fario
🇯🇵Japanese Burauntorauto · ブラウントラウト
🇰🇷Korean 브라운송어
🌍LAV Taimiņš
🌍LIT Upėtakis · šlakis
🌍LTZ Frell
🌍MKD Речна пастрмка
🇳🇱Dutch Atlantische forel · beekforel · forel · meerforel · schotje · schotzalm · zeeforel
🌍NNO aure · bekkeaure · bleike · byrting · kludd · sjøblanke · strending · kjøe · kræde · sjøaure
🌍NOB bekkeørret · bleke · kjøe · kræde · ørret · byrting · kludd · sjøblanke · sjøørret · strending
🇳🇴Norwegian sjøaure · sjøørret
🇵🇱Polish pstrąg potokowy · troc
🇵🇹Portuguese Truta · Truta-comum · Truta-marisca · truta marisca
🌍QUE Trucha
🇷🇺Russian kumzha · taimen' · форель ручьевая
🌍SLK pstruh hnedý
🌍SLV Morska postrv · potočna postrv
🌍SME dápmot · guvžá
🇪🇸Spanish Trucha marrón · trucha comun · trucha marina
🌍SQI Troftë · trofta e murme
🌍SRD Trota
🌍SRP potočna pastrmka · Поточна пастрмка
🇸🇪Swedish laxöring · öring · bäcköring · havsöring · insjööring
🌍TAT Инеш керкәсе
🌍TUR alabalık
🌍UKR Пструг струмковий · Форель струмкова
🇨🇳Chinese
🇬🇧
en
Sea Trout
🇫🇷
fr
Truite Fario
🇪🇸
es
Trucha Común
🇩🇪
de
Bachforelle

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Fario argenteus Valenciennes 1848 Synonym
Fario lacustris Linnaeus 1758 Synonym
Fario trutta Linnaeus 1758 Synonym
Salar ausonii Valenciennes 1848 Synonym
Salar ausonii parcepunctata Heckel & Kner 1858 Synonym
Salar ausonii semipunctata Heckel & Kner 1858 Synonym
Salar bailloni Valenciennes 1848 Synonym
Salar gaimardi Valenciennes 1848 Synonym
Salar spectabilis Valenciennes 1848 Synonym
Salmo albus Walbaum 1792 Synonym
Salmo ausonii Valenciennes 1848 Synonym
Salmo ausonii parcepunctata Heckel & Kner 1858 Synonym
Salmo ausonii semipunctata Heckel & Kner 1858 Synonym
Salmo brachypoma Günther 1866 Synonym
Salmo caecifer Parnell 1838 Synonym
Salmo cambricus Donovan 1806 Synonym
Salmo cornubiensis Walbaum 1792 Synonym
Salmo cumberland Lacepède 1803 Synonym
Salmo eriox Linnaeus 1758 Synonym
Salmo estuarius Knox 1855 Synonym
Salmo faria Linnaeus 1758 Synonym
Salmo faria alba Meidinger, 1785- 1794 Synonym
Salmo fario Linnaeus 1758 Synonym
Salmo fario loensis Walbaum 1792 Synonym
Salmo fario major Walecki 1863 Heterotypic
Salmo fario forestensis Bloch & Schneider 1801 Synonym
Salmo faris Synonym
Salmo faris forestensis Bloch & Schneider 1801 Synonym
Salmo gadoides Lacepède 1803 Synonym
Salmo gallivensis Günther 1866 Synonym

… and 36 more synonyms

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) — 78 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

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