Sea Run Brook Trout

Few people realize that our common brook trout, typically found in clear, spring-fed streams, can also migrate to saltwater and return.
 

These beautiful fish, known as salter brook trout, are a well-kept secret, understood by only a few. They inhabit tidal streams, estuaries, and coastal-facing streams from Maritime Canada to Long Island, New York.
 

Fortunately, many of Maine's coastal streams still support sea-run brook trout, as Maine remains a stronghold for wild brook trout.

Sea-run brook trout are special because saltwater food sources are much richer and plentiful, Salter brookies gain weight and length faster than a freshwater trout.  Anglers prize salters for their outsized strength, weight and spirit.

While sea-run brook trout can still be found in many coastal streams, their numbers have been severely reduced by centuries of development.  Most salter habitat has been reduced or eliminated by industrial, agricultural and residential development like dams, farmland and housing developments. All both block fish passage and increase habitat damage by removing water from our delicate aquifers.

However, these resilient fish are making a comeback thanks to conservation efforts like dam removal, habitat restoration, and stopping the stocking of hatchery fish in their habitats.

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You can help too.

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If you catch one of these beauties, be sure to follow local laws and practice catch-and-release to help them continue to thrive.

Consider joining the DSF, volunteering, or contributing in any way you can.

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