First introduced into France in 1884, it was the subject of numerous subsequent introductions for the development of amateur fishing (Ref. 11941). Established only in the basin of the Rhone and in the provinces of Ariege, the Pyrenees Orientales and Cantal. Naturalized in the Alpine lakes such as Lac du Mont-Cenis, Lac d'Ilheou and in Lac de l'Oueil Negre. Also established in the upper drainage basins of the Gave d'Aspe and Gaube, and are said to breed in the Beaumes river (Ref. 13364). Legal minimum size is 23 cm, sometimes 18 cm in the mountains and 25 cm in the lowlands (Ref. 30578). Production in France is said to exceed 50,000 tons/yr (Ref. 30578).