Catch Info:

• Method:
  Ponds
• Gear:
  Intensive ponds

View details of SeafoodWatch Catch Methods

Description:

Rainbow trout, though a member of the salmon family, is milder and has more delicate flavor. The meat can be white, pink, or orange.

Rainbow trout are native to western North America from Alaska to Baja California, but have been widely introduced throughout North America.

All rainbow trout sold in the U.S. are farm-raised. Wild rainbow trout are classified as gamefish and are reserved for recreational harvest only. Most rainbow trout are raised in Idaho, with a smaller amount raised in North Carolina. The most common production systems is a raceway, a series of rectangular tanks with water flowing through, mimicking a stream. Water is pulled from natural streams and springs, is generally used once, then returned to streams. Raceways are designed with settling zones to allow solid waste to sink to the bottom or water is diverted to settling ponds and can then be collected. Trout are carnivorous and do require some protein in their diet though it is generally derived from a combination of fish and soybean meals, reducing the requirement for wild harvested fish to feed farmed fish. Chemical use is minimal and only when needed; disease management focuses on prevention and sanitation.

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