Trout Identification
-
Image Selection
Choose an image from the examples provided below, or upload your own data.
-
Run the ML model
Click the 'Identify' button to initiate the machine learning model.
-
Visualize the results
The system will standardize the fish images and compare them to our database of trout from British Columbia. It then identifies the individual fish that has the highest probability of matching. If no match is found, the fish is classified as a new entry.
Overview
Trout Identification reads the spot patterns on a trout the way a fingerprint scanner reads a thumb. Each fish carries a unique, stable arrangement of black spots that stays consistent throughout its life — so a clear photo is enough to recognize the same individual again. Developed with Lumax AI, the system was built around Westslope Cutthroat Trout monitored in the Elk River, British Columbia.
It compares a new image against a catalog of known fish and returns the most likely match — or flags the trout as a new entry when it hasn’t been seen before. No tagging, no handling, no stress on the animal.
How It Works
From a photo to a confident match:
Image input
Works from ordinary trout photographs — choose an example or upload your own image of the fish.
Standardization
Aligns and standardizes the fish so spot patterns can be compared consistently, regardless of how the photo was taken.
Spot-pattern matching
Matches the unique spot arrangement against a catalog of known trout and ranks the most likely individual.
New-entry detection
When no confident match exists, the fish is logged as a new individual — growing the catalog over time.
Why It Matters
An indicator species
Westslope Cutthroat Trout need cold, clean water, so their numbers are a sensitive gauge of freshwater ecosystem health.
Non-invasive
Identification from natural markings means no tags or handling — monitoring that doesn't disturb the fish.
Population tracking
Re-identifying individuals over time supports survival estimates, movement studies, and long-term population monitoring.
Learn more about the project
See the full trout identification project and our work with Lumax AI on the Elk River — the research behind this tool.
View the project