Living in the Baltic Sea

Age
4-5 years old.
Record size & age
90 cm / 8,2 kg and 25 years old.
Habitat
Whitefish live pelagic in schools, prefers clean, cold and oxygen rich waters.
Food
Young Whitefish feed on Zoo-plankton, older fish eat bottom dwelling animals such as larvae, mussels and other small fish.
Spawning
Age: 4-5 years old
Season: September – February
Number of eggs: 30 000 eggs per kg of body weight

Spawning takes place on depths of 0,5 - 10 meters in areas with sandy or rocky bottoms in their native rivers or close to the coast. During a period of 3-5 weeks males and females can spawn several times with different partners. The larvae hatch after around 260 days.

Human impact and Status
A popular fish for sports fishermen but is also caught commercially. The meat is tasty and caviar is made of its roe. The total catch of Whitefish has dropped dramatically over the past decades. Threats to this species include overfishing, pollution and an increase of the Seal population. The survival of the Baltic Sea Whitefish is uncertain and fishing of this species should decrease significantly to secure its future. CLOSE