What are salters in the context of New Hampshire's fish species?

In the context of New Hampshire's fish species, salters refer to specific types of trout that have a unique life cycle involving both freshwater and brackish or saltwater environments. These fish, particularly the salter brook trout (often referred to as "salters"), are able to thrive in estuarine conditions. They hatch and grow in freshwater rivers and streams but migrate to coastal waters for part of their life cycle, where they can find additional food sources and even grow larger.

This migration between freshwater and saltwater habitats allows them to take advantage of the resources available in both environments, making them unique among the trout species. Understanding the life cycle of salters helps in their conservation and management, as these species rely on both freshwater ecosystems and coastal marine environments to complete their development.

The other options fall short as they do not adequately capture the specific characteristics of salters. For example, stating that trout exclusively live in freshwater does not apply to salters, as they spend part of their life in saltwater. Similarly, the mention of fish that only migrate in the ocean ignores the crucial aspect of their life cycle spent in freshwater. Lastly, the definition of non-native species does not apply here, as salters are a native species to New Hampshire