Unusual fi ndings of soft mouth trout Salmo obtusirostris (Actinopteri: Salmonidae) in the marine environment along the middle Eastern Adriatic coast as a consequence of extreme weather events

Abstract

The discovery of individuals of softmouth trout Salmo obtusirostris in the marine environment has been recorded several times in the period from 2015 to the present day in the wider area of the Neretva River delta and southern Adriatic coast. Although this phenomenon appears to be happening more frequently along the Adriatic coast, scientific reports regarding family Salmonidae species found in the marine environment are still very rare in the eastern Adriatic, especially for the softmouth trout. The findings reported here represent the first marine records of this endemic freshwater species. An increasing frequency of these findings may indicate that a higher number of individuals are ending up in the coastal environment during heavy storm events or other unusual hydrologic occurrence. Extreme weather conditions have become more frequent in recent years, mainly as a result of climate change and have led to unexpected phenomena and impacts on nature. The long-term effects on fish and community structure of rivers flowing into the sea require further research, as these weather-induced situations can be expected to become more common. Further investigation into the physiological costs and population consequences of these unusual ecological findings is warranted.