Variation in the Timing of Spawning of the Black Sea Brown Trout Salmo trutta labrax Pallas under Artificial and Natural Conditions

Analysis of the maturation and spawning times of the Black Sea brown trout bred at the fish-farming plants and inhabiting natural waterways of the Northwestern Caucasus has demonstrated a considerable variation depending on environmental conditions, first and foremost, temperature. This fact, as well as the analysis of literature data, suggests that the duration and timing of the spawning season cannot be used as self-sufficient criteria for identifying species of the genus Salmo.