North American Trout:

A Study on Environmental Impacts and Conservation Efforts

An explanation of trout’s common habitats in North America and an

analysis of current efforts to conserve their various populations.

Written by: Thomas Browning

Published by: Trout Unlimited
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Table of Contents
Abstract (3)
Trout Habitats (3)
Impacts of Trout Population (4)
Current Efforts (4)
New Conservation Possibilities (6)
Conclusion (7)
References (8)

Figures
An Ideal Location for a Trout (3)

Trout Food Web (4)

The Life Cycle of a Brown Trout (5)
Wild vs. Stocked Brook Trout (6)
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Abstract

Trout can be found in nearly any freshwater body in America from Georgia to Oregon.
They are highly sought after by traditional fishermen and fly fishermen alike for their delicate
beauty, intense fight, and savory flavor. It is tricky to say where a specific species comes from,
as it is one of the most well distributed fish around the world. The main North American three
species (rainbow, brown, and brook) all originate from different areas. The rainbow is native to
the Western United States, specifically the Pacific Northwest. From there, it has been
introduced into ecosystems all over the world through stocking (“Rainbow Trout”). The brown
trout comes from Central and Eastern Europe but was introduced into American water in the
late 1800’s. Since then, it has become known as a prized fish to catch in any stream (“Brown
Trout”). Finally, the brook trout is native to the Eastern United States and Canada and only can
live long-term at high enough altitudes (“Brook Trout”). These three trout can now be found all
over the United States anywhere cold enough to support them. With their increased
availability, problems with their populations have become more evident.
Since their stocking began, the issues with trout’s habitats and diets have become more
focused. Trout are rather dominant in their living spaces and eat all day long. They can affect
the health of species around them in various ways. Such issues have stalled conservation efforts
related to trout and slowed down their populations’ growth. While many issues can affect a
population like this, the degree of fishing pressure and growing connotation around trout
populations are having the greatest affect.

“A trout is a

moment of

beauty known

only to those

who seek it”

– Arnold Gingrich
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Figure 1: An ideal location for a trout.

Trout Trout
Habitats
are finicky fish when it comes to their preferred homes. They require colder water
because of the higher concentration of dissolved oxygen. This allows them to breathe easier
and have more energy. Additionally, they enjoy
environments with plenty of diversity in the water and
wildlife. Trout prefer the areas in rivers, streams, and
lakes that have a variety of structure and flow. Some large
and small rocks and even a few fallen trees can provide
safety for a trout from potential predators. Transitions
from whitewater riffles to pools and changes in depth can
create great harbors for large amounts of trout to hold in
(“What Is Good Trout Habitat”). The trout need food as
well, and this comes most often in the form of insects.
Trout require a steady flow of food that ranges from big
stoneflies to tiny midges, smaller than mosquito larvae.
These bugs will usually hatch in the water and go through
pupal stages before surfacing and becoming adults. At any
Figure 2: Trout Food Web stage in the life cycle of such insects, any size of trout loves
Source: sciblogs.co.nz to eat them. Big and small trout alike will eat minnows,
ants, grasshoppers, and worms if they are lucky enough to
find them. Most trout will even eat the eggs being laid by spawning trout upstream from them.
Trout will inhabit any area that maintains these factors year round. (Owen, 83-85).

Because trout are not native all over the

Impacts of Trout Population
country, some see them as an invasive species that
poses a threat to the local fish. This threat is not an
aggressive one, but rather of a competitive nature. For
example, brown trout and rainbow trout being
introduced in mass to the Eastern United States in
recent decades has resulted in a decline in brook trout
populations. This is due to the brown’s and rainbow’s
superior predatory skills and naturally larger size.
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These trout take up a larger portion of the food stream in the water and therefore allow less
room for the native trout to exist at their previous level. Such introductions can in fact be
dangerous to such fish especially when considering the life cycle of a brown trout. The graphic
shows each stage of life in detail. With the knowledge that a healthy adult brown trout can live
up to 20 years, it is much clearer why such a fish could cause problems for a smaller fish’s diet
when introduced in the numbers at which it is being stocked. The rainbow causes identical
issues for other fish and still have a long lifespan at about 10 years for the healthiest fish. They
are often called one of the most invasive fish, specifically as a result of their ability to displace
other trout. Rainbow trout can survive the highest water temperatures of any trout and tend to
be more resistant to disease and parasites. Some of this specifically pertains to stocked
rainbows, as many are the result of some modification and testing that allows them different,
more favorable characteristics as compared to other types of more natural trout.

Current Efforts

Trout of all variety are stocked all over the country, especially the Eastern United States
in order to ensure the population of the fish is never depleted regardless of the time of year.
Using North Carolina as a case study, the conservation strategy can become rather clear. A large
trout is considered by many to be a trophy fish and trout of any size can be enjoyable to catch.
As a result, trout fishing is becoming increasingly popular every year. This activity proves to be
both financially and socially beneficial for the state. Through purchases of licenses, gear, and
guide services, some of the more niche communities of the economy can flourish because of a
healthy and sustainable trout population. Because of this, North Carolina heavily stocks most
rivers on the western side of the state year round. This is done using hatcheries in which trout
are born and raised to certain sizes to be released into water to live the rest of their lives. These
fish quickly grow accustomed to life in natural scenery and learn what and what not to eat
(Shaw). Issues with these strategies quickly arise. There are differences in stocked and wild
trout all the way down to their genetic makeup. Stocked trout are bred to grow more quickly
and be more aggressive. The ones that prove to be the most resistant to disease are kept for
the purpose of creating the spawn for the next year’s stocking. The stocked fish, while less
colorful and unique (see figure below) tend to be larger and bite fishermen’s baits and flies
more often than their wild counterparts.
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Figure : Wild vs. Stocked Brook Trout

Source: flylordsmag.com

New Conservation Possibilities

Properly Spaced Stocking Points

There are several factors that could improve the quality of life the trout have and cause
a more stable population and less need for constant use of hatcheries and stocking. First, the
stocked trout should be stocked farther apart. The North Carolina case study showed that the
average stocked trout does not move more than a mile from its stocking point. With thousands
of fish being stocked at each point, this means an overload of fish in stretches of water that are
too small to maintain such a population. This can cause unnecessary fishing pressure and a food
shortage in the river (Shaw).

Obscurely Marked Stocking Points

To fix this, the stocking points should be moved further from each other and marked in
a more obscure manner. Currently, all stocking points are clearly marked with signs. The health
of ecosystems is sure to have a more lasting effect than the growth of the fishing sector in the
United States. Additionally, the stockings should only occur in designated areas. Wild streams
should be avoided in order to prevent more decline in native species of aquatic life.

Selectively Chosen Locations

Finally, the trout should only be stocked in areas that have been proven to sustain trout
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populations over a span of years at higher rates. Trout should not be placed in streams and
rivers and are not capable of sustaining this type of fish. It is not productive to try to maintain a
species in an area it is not native to and cannot adapt to without dying due to high
temperatures and greater numbers of predatory species (Owen, 127). There is a clear problem
with the current stocking process of trout in the United States. After a number of years stocking
with this information and using these practices, the trout population would be the healthiest
and most self-sustainable it has been since the introduction of the rainbow, brown, and brook
trout to waters around the continental United States.

Conclusion

The conservation efforts towards trout have significant implications to the health of the
to which ecosystems they have been introduced. Their intentional stocking has improved the
populations greatly. Stocked trout adjust quickly to their new habitats, but the method in which
they are placed there has negative effects. They are stocked in too great a number too closely
together, resulting in unnecessary fishing pressure and overloaded food chains. Reorganization
of the stocking process could greatly improve the living conditions of these fish as well as the
other species around them. The public understanding of trout also poses an issue, as many
have begun seeing them as an invasive species as a result of these improper practices.
Measures must be taken to improve the chances of trout increasing to a thriving
population in especially the eastern United States. This would be done most effectively through
improved stocking methods. Specifically, the stocking points should be more obscure, more
properly spaced, and more intentionally selected.

References
“Brook Trout.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 26 Feb. 2015,
www.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/brook-trout.htm.
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“Brown Trout.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 24 Feb. 2015,
www.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/brown-trout.htm.

“Invasive Species: Rainbow Trout – Columbus Audubon.” Columbus Audubon, 2014,

columbusaudubon.org/invasive-species-rainbow-trout/#:%7E:text=Rainbow%20trout
%20have%20been%20spread,detriment%20of%20other%20fish%20species.

Owen, James. Trout. Reaktion Books, 2012.

“Rainbow Trout.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 26 Feb. 2015,
www.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/rainbow-trout.htm.

Shaw, Dave. “Do Trout Stocked in Western NC Rivers Stay Put?” Hook, Line & Science, 31
Aug. 2020, ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/hooklinescience/2020/08/31/do-trout-stocked-in-western-
nc-rivers-stay-put.

Swentosky, Domenick. “Does a Stocked Trout Ever Become Wild?” Troutbitten, 8 Mar. 2020,
troutbitten.com/2020/01/22/do-stocked-trout-ever-become-wild.

“What Is Good Trout Habitat.” Vermont Official State Website, Vermont Fish & Wildlife
Department,2017,vtfishandwildlife.com/about-us/department-divisions/fish-division/fish-
management/wild-trout-management/what-is-good-trout-habitat.