FWS Focus

Overview

Characteristics
Overview

Bull trout have specific habitat requirements that are called the Four Cs; cold, clean, complex, and connected habitats. They are most common in high mountainous areas where snowfields and glaciers are present. They mainly occur in deep pools of large, cold, rivers and lakes.

Scientific Name

Salvelinus confluentus
Common Name
bull trout
FWS Category
Fishes
Kingdom

Location in Taxonomic Tree

Identification Numbers

TSN:

Characteristics

Characteristic category

Physical Characteristics

Characteristics
Size & Shape

Common length for the bull trout is 25 inches with the maximum reported length being 40.5 inches. 

Color & Pattern

Adult bull Trout are olive or drab in overall color with pale orange, round spots along their sides

Weight

The maximum reported weight of a bull trout is at 31 pounds and 15 ounces. 

Physical Characteristics

Migration Behavior 

Bull trout are a migratory species. Some bull trout spend their entire lifetime in the same stream, but the majority move to larger bodies of water to overwinter and forage. During the spawning migration, these bull trout move into the smaller streams to build redds and reproduce. Some bull trout are born in fresh water and then migrate to the ocean for their adult lives, then return to fresh water to reproduce. 

Characteristic category

Life Cycle

Characteristics
Reproduction

Bull trout are a char native to the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Canada. Bull trout exhibit one of the most complex life history strategies of the Pacific salmonids. This species exhibits four different life history strategies. These strategies include a non-migratory or resident bull trout form, a riverine or fluvial bull trout form, a lacustrine or adfluvial bull trout form and a rare marine or amphidromous/anadromous form.

Bull trout usually mature between four to seven years of age. An individual may spawn annually or every other year. Typically spawning for bull trout occurs between August and November, but sometimes as late as December. Redds (egg nests) are dug into clean gravel and laid during spawning: females lay an average of 5,000 eggs.

Eggs remain in the gravel for up to 210 days, when bull trout fry emerge. Upon emergence, juvenile bull trout may rear one to four years in their natal (or birth) stream before migrating either to river, lake/river, or nearshore marine areas to mature.

Characteristic category

Habitat

Characteristics
Habitat

Bull trout have specific habitat requirements; cold, clean, complex, and connected habitats. They are native to Canada and the United States.

A variety of activities impact bull trout survival and population recovery. These impacts occur from development or land use that degrades habitat and water quality, barriers to migration such as dams or weirs, and introduction of non-native species that compete for food or eat bull trout.

Lake

A considerable inland body of standing water.

River or Stream

A natural body of running water.

Geography

Characteristics
Range

The Bull trout is native to Canada and the United States. The geographic range of the bull trout is confined to northwestern North America from Alaska to northern California. These fish inhabit Artic waters, Pacific waters and are usually found in mountain or coastal streams.

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Timeline

Explore the information available for this taxon's timeline. You can select an event on the timeline to view more information, or cycle through the content available in the carousel below.

66 Items

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

4d

Listing

NEPA - EIS

Listing

4d

Permit

Listing

Listing

Notice

NEPA - EIS

NEPA - EIS

NEPA - EIS

NEPA - EIS

NEPA - EIS

Habitat Conservation Plan

Listing

Safe Harbor Agreement

NEPA - EIS

Critical Habitat

Recovery Plan

Notice

Notice

NEPA - EIS

NEPA - EIS

NEPA - EIS

Five Year Review

Permit

Recovery Plan

Notice

Recovery Plan

Critical Habitat

NEPA - EIS

Critical Habitat

NEPA - EIS

NEPA - EIS

Permit

Habitat Conservation Plan

Habitat Conservation Plan

NEPA - EIS

Experimental Pop Designation (10j)

Experimental Pop Designation (10j)

Notice

Habitat Conservation Plan

Critical Habitat

Experimental Pop Designation (10j)

Five Year Review

Recovery Plan

Recovery Plan

Recovery Plan

Recovery Plan

NEPA - EIS

Five Year Review

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Listing

Sep 18, 1985

Sep 18, 1985 Listing
Review of Vertebrate Wildlife; Notice of Review; 50 FR 37958-37967
  • Publication type: CNOR
Item 1

Listing

Jan 6, 1989

Jan 6, 1989 Listing
ETWP; Animal Notice of Review; 54 FR 554 579
  • Publication type: CNOR
Item 2

Listing

Nov 21, 1991

Nov 21, 1991 Listing
ETWP; Animal Candidate Review for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Species; 56 FR 58804 58836
  • Publication type: CNOR
Item 3

Listing

May 17, 1993

May 17, 1993 Listing (Substantial)
ETWP; 90-Day finding and Commencement of Status Review for a Petition to List the Bull Trout.
  • Publication type: 90 day petition finding
Item 4

Listing

Jun 10, 1994

Jun 10, 1994 Listing (Not Warranted)
ETWP; 12-Month Petition Finding on the Bull Trout
  • Publication type: 12m petition finding
Item 5

Listing

Nov 15, 1994

Nov 15, 1994 Listing
ETWP; Animal Candidate Review for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Species.
  • Publication type: CNOR
Item 6

Listing

Jun 12, 1995

Jun 12, 1995 Listing (Warranted But Precluded)
ETWP; 12-Month Recycled Petition Finding for a Petition To List the Bull Trout as Threatened or Endaโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: 12m petition finding
Item 7

Listing

Feb 28, 1996

Feb 28, 1996 Listing
ETWP; Review of Plant and Animal Taxa That Are Candidates for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Sโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: CNOR
Item 8

Listing

Jun 13, 1997

Jun 13, 1997 Listing (Endangered)
ETWP; Proposal to List the Klamath River Population Segment of Bull Trout as an Endangered Species aโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 9

Listing

Jun 13, 1997

Jun 13, 1997 Listing (Threatened)
ETWP; Proposal to List the Klamath River Population Segment of Bull Trout as an Endangered Species aโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 10

Listing

Sep 19, 1997

Sep 19, 1997 Listing
Review of Plant and Animal Taxa
  • Publication type: Candidate Removal
Item 11

Listing

Sep 19, 1997

Sep 19, 1997 Listing
Review of Plant and Animal Taxa
  • Publication type: CNOR
Item 12

Listing

Jun 10, 1998

Jun 10, 1998 Listing (Threatened)
ETWP; Determination of Threatened status for the Klamath River and Columbia River Distinct Populatioโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 13

Listing

Jun 10, 1998

Jun 10, 1998 Listing (Threatened)
ETWP; Proposal To List the Coastal-Puget Sound, Jarbidge River and St. Mary-Belly River Population sโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 14

4d

Jun 10, 1998

Jun 10, 1998 4d
ETWP; Determination of Threatened status for the Klamath River and Columbia River Distinct Populatioโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 15

Listing

Aug 11, 1998

Aug 11, 1998 Listing (Endangered)
ETWP; Emergency Listing of the Jarbidge River Population Segment of Bull Trout as Endangered.
  • Publication type: Emergency
Item 16

NEPA - EIS

Jan 20, 1999

Jan 20, 1999 NEPA - EIS
Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement Regarding Proposed Issuance of an Inciโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 17

Listing

Apr 8, 1999

Apr 8, 1999 Listing (Threatened)
ETWP; Determination of Threatened Status for the Jarbidge River Population Segment of Bull Trout.
  • Publication type: Final
Item 18

4d

Apr 8, 1999

Apr 8, 1999 4d
ETWP; Determination of Threatened Status for the Jarbidge River Population Segment of Bull Trout.
  • Publication type: Final
Item 19

Permit

Jun 25, 1999

Jun 25, 1999 Permit (Issued)
Notice of Application to Amend an Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit to Include Canada Lyโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: SHA, HCP, CCAA
Item 20

Listing

Oct 25, 1999

Oct 25, 1999 Listing
Review of Plant and Animal Taxa That Are Candidates or Proposed for Listing as Endangered or Threateโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: CNOR
Item 21

Listing

Nov 1, 1999

Nov 1, 1999 Listing (Threatened)
ETWP; Determination of Threatened Status for Bull Trout in the Coterminous United States
  • Publication type: Final
Item 22

Notice

Nov 1, 1999

Nov 1, 1999 Notice
ETWP; Notice of Intent to Prepare a Proposed Special Rule Pursuant to Section 4(d) of the Endangeredโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Item 23

NEPA - EIS

Dec 17, 1999

Dec 17, 1999 NEPA - EIS
Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Receipt of an Application for an Incidentโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 24

NEPA - EIS

Jan 31, 2000

Jan 31, 2000 NEPA - EIS
Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Receipt of an Application for Incidentalโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 25

NEPA - EIS

Mar 15, 2000

Mar 15, 2000 NEPA - EIS
Extension of Public Comment Period for Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Application for an Iโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 26

NEPA - EIS

Sep 21, 2000

Sep 21, 2000 NEPA - EIS
Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement and Habitat Conservation Plan for Incโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 27

NEPA - EIS

Jan 5, 2001

Jan 5, 2001 NEPA - EIS
Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Tacoma Water Department Habitat Conseโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 28

Habitat Conservation Plan

Oct 16, 2001

Oct 16, 2001 Habitat Conservation Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
Receipt of Application To Amend West Fork Timber Company's Endangered Species Act Incidental Taโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 29

Listing

Oct 30, 2001

Oct 30, 2001 Listing
ETWP; Review of Plant and Animal Species That Are Candidates or Proposed for Listing as Endangered oโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: CNOR
Item 30

Safe Harbor Agreement

Mar 22, 2002

Mar 22, 2002 Safe Harbor Agreement (Document Availability (non-FR))
Safe Harbor Agreement for Bull Trout in Falls Creek, Lemhi County, ID
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 31

NEPA - EIS

Nov 22, 2002

Nov 22, 2002 NEPA - EIS
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for an Incidental Take Permit Appliโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 32

Critical Habitat

Nov 29, 2002

Nov 29, 2002 Critical Habitat
Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Klamath River and Columbia River Distinct Populatioโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 33

Recovery Plan

Nov 29, 2002

Nov 29, 2002 Recovery Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
Notice of Availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for Three of the Five Distinct Population Segmentsโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 34

Notice

Feb 11, 2003

Feb 11, 2003 Notice
Notice To Extend the Public Comment Period for the Draft Recovery Plan for Three of the Five Distincโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Comment Period Extension
Item 35

Notice

Feb 11, 2003

Feb 11, 2003 Notice
Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Klamath River and Columbia River Distinct Populatioโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Comment Period Reopening
Item 36

NEPA - EIS

Apr 28, 2003

Apr 28, 2003 NEPA - EIS
Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement Regarding Proposed Issuance of an Inciโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 37

NEPA - EIS

Jun 10, 2003

Jun 10, 2003 NEPA - EIS
Notice of Intent to Conduct Public Scoping and Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement Related toโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 38

NEPA - EIS

Nov 28, 2003

Nov 28, 2003 NEPA - EIS
Final Environmental Impact Statement for an Incidental Take Permit Application and Habitat Conservatโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 39

Five Year Review

Apr 13, 2004

Apr 13, 2004 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
5-Year Review of the Bull Trout
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 40

Permit

May 17, 2004

May 17, 2004 Permit (Issued)
Issuance of Permits
  • Publication type: SHA, HCP, CCAA
Item 41

Recovery Plan

Jul 1, 2004

Jul 1, 2004 Recovery Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
Draft Recovery Plan for the Jarbidge River Distinct Population Segment of Bull Trout (Salvelinus conโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 42

Notice

Jul 1, 2004

Jul 1, 2004 Notice
Extension of Comment Period for the Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) 5-Year Review
  • Publication type: Comment Period Extension
Item 43

Recovery Plan

Jul 1, 2004

Jul 1, 2004 Recovery Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
Draft Recovery Plan for the Coastal-Puget Sound Distinct Population Segment of Bull Trout (Salvelinuโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 44

Critical Habitat

Oct 6, 2004

Oct 6, 2004 Critical Habitat
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Klamath Rivโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 45

NEPA - EIS

Dec 15, 2004

Dec 15, 2004 NEPA - EIS
Notice of Intent to Conduct Public Scoping and Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 46

Critical Habitat

Sep 26, 2005

Sep 26, 2005 Critical Habitat
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Bull Trout; Finaโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 47

NEPA - EIS

Nov 15, 2005

Nov 15, 2005 NEPA - EIS
Notice of Intent to Conduct Public Scoping Meetings and to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statementโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 48

NEPA - EIS

Jun 19, 2006

Jun 19, 2006 NEPA - EIS
Notice of Intent to Conduct Public Scoping and to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement Relatedโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 49

Permit

Sep 26, 2006

Sep 26, 2006 Permit (Issued)
Notice of Availability of a Final Record of Decision on the Issuance of Permits
  • Publication type: SHA, HCP, CCAA
Item 50

Habitat Conservation Plan

Sep 14, 2007

Sep 14, 2007 Habitat Conservation Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
Proposed Low Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for Washington Department of Natural Resources' Cโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 51

Habitat Conservation Plan

Mar 5, 2008

Mar 5, 2008 Habitat Conservation Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment/Habitat Conservation Plan, and Receipt of Applicatiโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 52

NEPA - EIS

Jun 26, 2009

Jun 26, 2009 NEPA - EIS
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation; Draft Environmental Impact Statement Availโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 53

Experimental Pop Designation (10j)

Dec 9, 2009

Dec 9, 2009 Experimental Pop Designation (10j) (Non-essential)
Establishment of a Nonessential Experimental Population of Bull Trout in the Clackamas River Subbasiโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 54

Experimental Pop Designation (10j)

Dec 9, 2009

Dec 9, 2009 Experimental Pop Designation (10j) (Non-essential)
Establishment of a Nonessential Experimental Population of Bull Trout in the Clackamas River Subbasiโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 55

Notice

Jan 14, 2010

Jan 14, 2010 Notice
Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for Bull Trout in the Coterminous United States; announcemeโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Public Hearing
Item 56

Habitat Conservation Plan

Oct 1, 2010

Oct 1, 2010 Habitat Conservation Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
Proposed Issuance of Incidental Take Permits to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for Sโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 57

Critical Habitat

Oct 18, 2010

Oct 18, 2010 Critical Habitat
Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for Bull Trout in the Coterminous United States; Final Ruleโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 58

Experimental Pop Designation (10j)

Jun 21, 2011

Jun 21, 2011 Experimental Pop Designation (10j) (Non-essential)
Establishment of a Nonessential Experimental Population of Bull Trout in the Clackamas River Subbasiโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 59

Five Year Review

Mar 6, 2012

Mar 6, 2012 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
5-Year Status Reviews of 46 Species in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Montana, Hawaii, Guam, andโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 60

Recovery Plan

Sep 4, 2014

Sep 4, 2014 Recovery Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
ETWP; Revised Draft Recovery Plan for the Coterminous United States Population of Bull Trout (Salvelโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 61

Recovery Plan

Sep 4, 2014

Sep 4, 2014 Recovery Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
ETWP; Revised Draft Recovery Plan for the Coterminous United States Population of Bull Trout (Salvelโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 62

Recovery Plan

Jun 4, 2015

Jun 4, 2015 Recovery Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Draft Recovery Plan for the Coterminous Uniteโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 63

Recovery Plan

Sep 30, 2015

Sep 30, 2015 Recovery Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
Recovery Plan for the Coterminous United States Population of Bull Trout; Notice of Availability
  • Publication type: Final
Item 64

NEPA - EIS

Jul 24, 2017

Jul 24, 2017 NEPA - EIS
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Deschutes Riverโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 65

Five Year Review

Mar 11, 2020

Mar 11, 2020 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Initiation of 5- Year Status Reviews for 129 Species in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana,โ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 66