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Fish in Germany
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Sea Trout

Sea Trout

Salmo trutta trutta

DE: Meerforelle

3 · Vulnerable
Maximum Size
110 cm
Waters
5

Distinguishing Features

Silvery body with dark spots, adipose fin, strong tail fin, usually slimmer than brown trout.

Habitat

Sea and coastal waters, ascending rivers to spawn; juveniles in streams.

Red List Germany

3 · Vulnerable

Declining or locally threatened in Germany.

Brown, lake and sea trout are life-history forms of one species (Salmo trutta); the Red List assesses them together as “Forelle”.

Red List of freshwater fish:
Freyhof et al. 2023 · Rote-Liste-Zentrum
IUCN global:
LC · Least Concern

Fishing rules by federal state

Can I keep it?
Federal state Minimum size Closed season Notes
Brandenburg Protected year-round

Stocked sea trout only: 60 cm, closed 16 Oct – 15 Apr.

Not yet researched here — see the ordinance of: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia

Statewide rules for anglers as of 24 Oct 2026, without guarantee. Clubs and waters can set stricter rules; the ordinance text is binding.

Waters

Baden-Württemberg Bavaria Berlin Brandenburg Bremen Hamburg Hesse Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Lower Saxony North Rhine-Westphalia Rhineland-Palatinate Saarland Saxony Saxony-Anhalt Schleswig-Holstein Thuringia Donau Main Mosel Neckar Havel Spree Saale Isar Inn Finowkanal Oder-Havel-Kanal Main-Donau-Kanal Mittellandkanal Bodensee Chiemsee Ammersee Starnberger See Müritz Steinhuder Meer Scharmützelsee Schwielochsee Senftenberger See Rhein Elbe Oder Weser Ems

Map: Natural Earth (public domain); © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

Expected occurrence, modelled from each water's fish zones, habitat type and the federal states the species lives in, and checked against GBIF records — not a record of observations.