Huchen

About

The Danube salmon, often referred to as Huchen or Hucho in Ukraine, is the largest fish of the mountain rivers of the Carpathians and the rarest among them. It lives only in the Danube basin. In Ukraine, it can be found in the rivers of Transcarpathia — Tysa, the middle and lower reaches of Teresva and Tereblya — as well as in the basins of Prut and Cheremosh in Prykarpattia. Outside of Ukraine, Huchen inhabits the rivers of Slovakia, Romania, and other countries in the Danube basin. The name 'Huchen' is a folk term; the true Huchen (Hucho taimen) lives in Siberia, while the Danube salmon is its closest European relative.

This is a large, long, and powerful predator with an almost cylindrical body, a broad flat head, and a large mouth. The back is gray-green, the sides are silvery with a copper tint, and small dark spots are scattered across the body. The largest known individuals have exceeded 180 cm in length and weighed up to 60 kg.

The salmon prefers deep pools and stretches of mountain rivers with clean cold water. Adult fish prey on other fish — bullheads, loaches, and chubs; they feed most actively in autumn and winter, and during summer, when the water warms up, they eat very little. Spawning occurs from March to May when the water temperature reaches 6–10 °C: the female digs shallow nests in the gravel bottom and lays eggs in them for several nights in a row. For spawning, fish choose shallow sections of mountain streams — from 0.3 to 1.2 m — with clean pebbles and fast currents. The young initially feed on aquatic invertebrates and later switch to fish.

The population of Danube salmon has sharply declined due to dams, hydroelectric stations, gravel extraction from riverbeds, pollution, and poaching. Therefore, the species is listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine as endangered, and in the IUCN Red List, it is categorized as 'vulnerable' (VU). To save the species, experts recommend strict protection of spawning grounds and breeding fish in captivity for restocking.

Fishing for Danube salmon is prohibited. If it accidentally gets caught on a hook, the fish should be carefully released back into the water immediately. A compensation of 14,000 UAH is imposed for each illegally caught individual, and there may also be administrative or criminal liability. We deliberately do not specify the locations where Huchen is found to avoid assisting poachers.

Where in the Carpathians

The map shows where naturalists recorded the species (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records), not every place it lives. The Ukrainian Carpathians are less studied, so a blank area does not mean the species is absent. For rare and vulnerable species the map is deliberately coarse (hexagons of ~250 km² or more) so that it never points to dens, nests or growing sites.

Countries

Ukraine · Romania

Mountain ranges

Pokuttia-Bukovina Carpathians, Polonynian Ridge, Chornohora, Watershed Ridge, Hryniava Mountains, Maramureș Mountains

Altitude belts

Foothills (below 600 m) · Beech forests (600–1200 m)

When to see it

From naturalists’ observations in the Carpathians (iNaturalist, research grade): the darker the cell, the more often the species is seen that month.

Protection and rules

Fishing is prohibited. Compensation for one illegally caught fish is 14,000 UAH, and there may also be administrative or criminal liability.

Red Data Book of Ukraine

Where to fish in the Carpathians

Fishing in the Carpathians ›

FAQ