Nearly one million young trout begin their perilous journey to the sea

Nearly one million young trout, known as smolt, have been released into Danish waterways this spring, but their journey is fraught with danger, reports DR. Volunteers like Mogens Enevoldsen stand guard to protect them from predators in their first critical weeks.

Each spring, vast numbers of smolt—young trout transitioning from freshwater to saltwater—are released into Danish rivers. Yet their migration toward the ocean makes them easy prey for birds such as gulls, crows, and cormorants. Enevoldsen, an experienced angler and volunteer smolt guard, spends hours by the Giber River in Aarhus, deterring predators with stones or gestures.

“The gulls are clever and unafraid of humans,” he explains. “Sometimes you have to clap or throw a stone nearby—never to hit, just to scare them off.”

### A dangerous transition
The smolt’s journey mirrors that of sea turtles: a vulnerable trek from freshwater to the open sea, where survival odds improve dramatically. “These young fish need a chance to reach the ocean,” Enevoldsen says. “Once there, their chances are far better. But until then, the birds know they’re easy targets.”

The smolt are raised by Danish angling associations and DTU Aqua, then released nationwide. Their eventual recapture by anglers is part of the plan—though Enevoldsen admits his motives aren’t purely altruistic. “I’m an angler. I want fish on my line, and trout are my favorite—both to catch and to eat.”