Wildlife Welfare

Wild Sea Trout Welfare and Angling

Sea trout - migratory brown trout - face welfare challenges from angling pressure in rivers, climate change affecting rivers, and aquaculture disease spillover.

Key Facts

Sea trout are the migratory form of brown trout undertaking similar migrations to salmon
Catch and release fishing for sea trout has become standard in many rivers
Warm summer river temperatures reduce oxygen and increase stress during migration
Sea lice from salmon farms can infest sea trout as they migrate through farm areas
Sea trout populations have declined in many river systems coinciding with salmon farming expansion

Welfare Considerations

Sea trout welfare is affected by angling stress, thermal barriers in warm rivers, and sea lice infestation from nearby aquaculture operations. Evidence-based management of these stressors protects individual fish welfare while supporting population-level conservation of this important migratory species.

What You Can Do

Practise careful catch-and-release techniques if sea trout angling
Support river temperature monitoring and habitat work to provide cool refuges during summer
Advocate for management of sea lice infestation impacts from aquaculture on migratory fish