Annual performance report for a life history study of sheefish and whitefish in Alaska
Alt KT. 1979. Annual performance report for a life history study of sheefish and whitefish in Alaska. Federal Aid in Fish Restoration Study R-11, Project F-9-1. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish
(Author's abstract) 'Sheefish, Stenodus lecicthys (Guldenstadt), stocked in Eilson Cooling Pond showed excellent growth, with fish ranging in length from 378 to 436 millimeters and weight from 500 to 800 grams at Age II. Two males were sexually mature. Sheefish captured from Four Mile Lake continue their slow growth and more fish of the 1969 plant that the 1968 plant were captured. Sheefish of Age Class V captured in Lost Lake ranged in length from 230 to 738 millimeters and in weight from 110 to 6,500 grams. Data on the sheefish sport fishery are presented. A survey in mid-May of tributary streams of the lower Tanana River and manstem Tanana indicated no sheefish upstream movement in the main river but did reveal presence of adult feeding sheefish (mainly nonconservative spawners) at the mouths of the Tolovana, Cosna, and Chitanana rivers, and Baker Creek. Sheefish found in the lower 16 milometers (10 miles) of the Nowitna River included rearing fish of Age Classes I (0+) and III (2+) as well as nonconsecutive apawners and prespawners. Test netting the the lower Koyukuk River in late July failed to take any prespawning sheefish and thus places time of immigration of these fish at August and September. A search for spawning members of the anadromous segment of the lower Yukon River population was conducted in the upper Yukon River in late September, but no prespawning fish were captured. Rearing areas of sheefish were found in estuarine areas of Kotzebue Sound, with lesser numbers rearing in Hotham Inlet, lower Kobuk River, and upper Selawik Lake. Rearing rish of Age Classes I and II were not located and most rearing fish captured ranged in age from IV to IX.'
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Alt, Kenneth
- Date of Issue
- 1979
- Publisher
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish
- Units
- KOVA
- Keywords
- Anadromous, Animal Studies, Aquatic Sciences, Baker Creek, Chitanana River, Coasna river, Eilson Cooling Pond, Fish, Four Mile Lake, Freshwater, Kobuk River, Kotzebue Sound, Koyokuk River, Lost Lake, n79alt01dena, n79alt01yuch, Nowitna River, Selawik Lake, sheefish, Stenodus leucichthys, Tanana River, Tolovana River, Whitefish, Yukon River, Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve