[Photograph: Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture]

Eastern Brook Trout
Salvelinus fontinalis

Description: Freshwater trout species.

Life History: Spawns during day in late summer (in north) or fall. Eggs hatch in 47 days at 10 C, in 165 days at 2.8 C. In Ontario, alevin emergence occurred over a 71-day period, coinciding with the spring thaw and an episodic pH depression (Snucins et al. 1992). Sexually mature in 2-3 years (also reported as first year for males, 2nd year for females). Only small percentages of returning migrants actually spawn; post-spawning mortality generally is low (Stearley 1992).

Habitat: Clear cool well-oxygenated creeks, small to medium rivers, and lakes. May move from streams into lakes or sea to avoid high temperatures in summer. Preferred temperature 14-16 C; does poorly where water temperature exceeds 20 C for extended periods (see Sublette et al. 1990). Spawns usually over gravel beds in shallow headwaters but also may spawn successfully in gravelly shallows of lakes if spring (groundwater) upwelling and moderate current, or nearby surficial inflow (Quinn 1995), are present. Eggs buried in nest in gravel. In Ontario, eggs were buried at 7-20 cm in bottom substrate (Snucins et al. 1992).

Distribution: Native to most of eastern Canada from Newfoundland to western side of Hudson Bay, south in Atlantic, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River basins to Minnesota and (in the Appalachians) northern Georgia; introduced in western North America and temperate regions in many other parts of the world.

Status: Introduced populations of brook trout have contributed to the decline of native fishes, amphibians, and invertebrates in cold streams and lakes in western North America (see Adams et al. 2002). Prevention of further invasion has become a major concern (Adams et al. 2002).

Resources: Go to the full NatureServe species report.