Australian salmon Arripis trutta
Australian salmon
Distribution - Occurs from Tweed Heads through to Port Philip Bay (Victoria) and Tasmania.
Size - Maximum of 6kg and a length of up to 90cm.
Characteristics - Robust body with one continuous dorsal fin (spines & soft rays). Body colour varies from greyish green to steely blue above, usually with yellow to dark spots, and a silver underbelly. The Australian salmon is not related to the true salmonoid fish but rather to the perch family. The fish are common in large schools with the juveniles often in coastal bays.
Confusing species - Difficult to separate from the Western Australian salmon, which can be done by counting the number of gill rakers (lower number in the western species).