The Arctic Charr (Salvelinus alpinus), is a relative of the Salmon. It is a very rare fish in Britain, only found in deep, cold glacial lakes that are mostly in Scotland and the Lake District. Charr spend their time during winter dormant beneath thick ice covered lakes in the Arctic circle. They can grow up
A Coniston Charr
to a metre long. Delicate spotting along the sides and coral pink lower fins are the charr's most distnctive features.
The Arctic char is closely related to both salmon and trout and has many characteristics of both. Individual char fish can weigh 20 lb (9.1 kg) or more with record sized fish having been taken by angling in northern Canada. Generally, whole market sized fish are between 2 and 5 lb (0.91 and 2.3 kg). The flesh colour of char varies; it can range from a bright red to a pale pink.