Rainbow Trout

Biology and habitat

Species description
The rainbow trout, also kown as steelhead trout, belongs to the family of Salmonidae and the genus  Oncorhynchus.

Geographical distribution and habitat
The rainbow trout is native to the cold-water rivers and lakes of the Pacific coasts of North America and Asia. It has been introduced to about 82 countries, practically everywhere the conditions are favorable for its culture, because rainbow trout tolerates a wide range of environmental and production conditions better than other trout species.

Resource, exploitation and management

Stock and resource status/conservation measures
Rainbow trout catches represent negligible share in global catches.

Production methods and fishing gears
The main fishing gears used are driftnets, gillnets and similar nets, hooks and lines, and   pots and traps. The aquaculture production is more important than wild catches.

Source: Information system on commercial designations

Catches

Evolution of world catches

• Rainbow trout catches reached 921 tonnes in 2023, representing a negligible share in the global catches and only 0,1% of the global trout production (the species is mainly farmed).
• Catches have fluctuated between 2014 and 2023, with an overall downward trend. In 2023, Finland was the main producer, accounting for 53% of global production.

Source: FAO

Evolution of EU catches

• The EU provided 79% of the global rainbow trout catches in 2023 (731 tonnes).
• Finland is the main EU producer. It contributed to 67% of the EU production in 2023.

Source: FAO

Aquaculture production

Evolution of world production
Over the last decade (2014-2023), the world production of farmed rainbow trout has increased by 38%. The main producers are Türkiye, Iran, and the EU. While EU production slightly increased (+3%) in the last ten years, the production of Türkiye and Iran increased significantly over the same period (by respectively 97% and 70%). 

Source: FAO

Evolution of EU production

• The EU provided 15% of the world production of farmed rainbow trout in 2023 (vs. 19% in 2012). The main producers were Italy (20% of EU production in 2022), France (17%), Denmark (15%), Poland (11%), and Spain (10%).
• The EU production increased by 13% between 2014 and 2021, reaching 185.000 tonnes. It decreased to 167.000 tonnes in 2022 and remained stable during the last two years.

Source: FAO

Processing

A significant smoking activity exists for rainbow trout in the EU.

Since 2019, there is a specific PRODCOM code that refers to smoked rainbow trout:

10202470 - Smoked trout (incl. fillets, excluding heads, tails and maws)  

Source: EUROSTAT-PRODCOM

The EU production of smoked trout reached over 21.800 tonnes in 2023, 1% more than 2022 and 26% less than 2019. Germany, France, Denmark, and Poland were responsable of most of the EU production (83%).

Trade

Combined nomenclature

EU trade of trout products (tonnes - 2024)
Data concern Rainbow trout and other species of trout

Source: EUROSTAT-COMEXT

EU-27 trade of trout products (tonnes - 2024)

• Extra-EU imports reached 31.354 tonnes in 2024. Fresh and frozen whole trout accounted for 76% of EU imports (in volume terms) while smoked trout accounted for 11% of EU imports. Turkey and Norway supplied 86% of EU imports (respectively 15.423 tonnes and 11.573 tonnes). Main importers in the EU were Sweden, Austria, France and Germany (respectively 32%, 12%, 11% and 10% of EU imports in volume terms).

• Extra-EU exports reached over 7.700 tonnes in 2024. Frozen and fresh whole trout accounted for 66% of EU exports (in volume terms), while smoked trout accounted for 14% of EU exports. Main destinations of EU exports were Belarus, Switzerland, and Vietnam (together they represented 53% of EU exports). Main exporters were Denmark and to a lesser extent Estonia (respectively 40% and 22%).

Source: EUROSTAT-COMEXT

Supply balance

EU supply balance (2023) – Tonnes of live weight equivalent - Trout:
Data concern Rainbow trout and other species of trout

Source: FAO/ EUROSTAT-COMEXT

Supply balance is provided for the year 2023 (trade data for 2023 were taken into account). Detailed trade data provided in the slides 5 and 6 concern the year 2024.
The conversion factors were used to convert net weight of imports and exports of fishery and aquaculture products into live weight equivalents.
Production figure used in this supply chain is different from the production figure provided in the slide on catches (i.e. slide 2) as production of other trout species has been considered, even though Rainbow trout remains the most produced species.

Prices along the supply chain (EUR/kg)

Data concern Rainbow trout and other species of trout

Ex-farm (farmed)
Ex-farm prices are provided for France, Denmark and Italy, the main producers of rainbow trout in the EU.

(*) Last available year

Wholesale
Wholesale prices refer to prices in France.

(*) From January to October 2025

Retail
Retail prices are provided for the major producers.

(*) From January to September 2025

Import (fresh and frozen)
Extra-EU imports concern mainly fresh whole and frozen whole trout. Prices are provided for the main importers and concern imports from third countries in 2024.

(*) From January to September 2025

Export (fresh and frozen)
Extra-EU exports mainly concern fresh whole and frozen whole rainbow trout. Prices are provided for Denmark, Estonia and Poland, major EU exporters to third countries in 2024.

(*) From January to September 2025

Marketing

National lists of commercial designations

Information system on commercial designations and scientific names in all EU languages

In the EU, there are three names protected under Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) for trout:

• PGI “Schwarzwaldforelle” in Germany;
• PGI “Escavèche de Chimay” in Belgium;
• PGI “Trote del Trentino” in Italy.

Consumption

In 2023, trout (all species included) ranked 13th among most consumed species in the EU (source: The EU Fish Market – 2025 edition, EUMOFA).

Apparent consumption per capita of trout (all species) in 2023: 0,45 kg live weight equivalent (source: Supply balance - 2023, EUMOFA).

Nutritional value (Rainbow trout France, fresh fillet and smoked fillet, values per 100 g – source : NUTRAQUA/AQUIMER).