Saiblinge

Saiblinge are freshwater fishes in the genus Salvelinus, part of the salmon family (Salmonidae). The term is used in German-speaking regions for several closely related species collectively known as chars. Common examples include Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), brook char (Salvelinus fontinalis), and lake char (Salvelinus namaycush).

They inhabit cold, well-oxygenated waters across the northern hemisphere, from Arctic and subarctic lakes and rivers to large North American lakes. Arctic char has a circumpolar distribution; brook char occurs in eastern North America; lake char in larger freshwater systems. Spawning usually takes place in fall or winter in gravelly beds of streams or tributaries.

Physically they have an elongated body and an adipose fin. Coloration and patterning vary with species, life stage, and season, and males develop a hooked jaw during breeding. They are carnivorous, feeding on invertebrates as juveniles and on fish and other prey as adults. Growth and size vary with water temperature, prey availability, and habitat quality.

Saiblinge are valued by anglers and, in some regions, are cultivated in aquaculture to supply fresh, smoked, or processed products. In markets they are noted for delicate flesh that ranges from pale white to pink, depending on species and diet. Conservation status varies by population and region, with management often addressing overfishing, habitat degradation, and climate-related changes in cold-water ecosystems.