CR

Struga Trout

Salmo balcanicus

UnknownDDEUDDEU

Overview

Salmo balcanicus is a type of trout, a fish in the family Salmonidae. It is endemic to Lake Ohrid and its outlet in North Macedonia and Albania in the Balkans.

Salmo balcanicus faces severe population decline due to habitat degradation from dam construction and water extraction in the Balkan river systems. Pollution from agricultural runoff and urban development has significantly reduced water quality in its native streams. Overfishing and illegal fishing practices have further depleted the already fragmented populations across its limited range.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic trout inhabits cold, well-oxygenated mountain streams and rivers in the Balkan Peninsula, typically at elevations between 200-1,500 meters. It requires clean gravel substrates for spawning and prefers areas with moderate to fast-flowing water and abundant riparian vegetation.

Marine oceanic· majorWetlands (inland) - Permanent rivers/streams· majorWetlands (inland) - Permanent freshwater lakes· majorMarine neritic· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protection

Other threatened species in SALMONIDAE

VU

Coregonus subautumnalis

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VU

Bourget Whitefish

Coregonus lavaretus

Unknown
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Fatio's Whitefish

Coregonus fatioi

Unknown
VU

Sempach Whitefish

Coregonus suidteri

Unknown

Threatened in Albania

VU

Lesser White-fronted Goose

Anser erythropus

Declining
Scarce BlackneckCR

Scarce Blackneck

Lygephila craccae

Unknown
Common Fire SalamanderVU

Common Fire Salamander

Salamandra salamandra

Declining
EN

Ohrigocea stankovici

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Struga Trout classified as Critically Endangered?
Struga Trout is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Salmo balcanicus faces severe population decline due to habitat degradation from dam construction and water extraction in the Balkan river systems. Pollution from agricultural runoff and urban development has significantly reduced water quality in its native streams. Overfishing and illegal fishing practices have further depleted the already fragmented populations across its limited range.
Where does Struga Trout live?
Struga Trout occurs in Albania, and North Macedonia. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Struga Trout?
The main threats to Struga Trout are 1.1, 7.2, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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