Fisheries Investigations on the Kandik, Nation, and Tatonduk Rivers, Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, 1987 and 1988

Daum, D

During the summer and fall of 1987 and 1988, baseline fisheries investigations were conducted on the Kandik, Charley, and Tatonduk rivers within the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve to describe 1) relative abundance, distribution, and habitat use by anadromous and resident fish species; 2) spawning areas and run timing of chinook Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, coho O. kisutch, and chum salmon O. keta; and 3) aquatic macroinvertebrate density, biomass, diversity, and composition. At selected sites, fish and macroinvertebrates were collected and physical and chemical parameters were measured. Fish sampling methods included gill netting, minnow trapping, beach seining, electrofishing, and angling. Fifteen fish species were found in the four study drainages. Chinook salmon were captured in all four streams. Spawining habitat appeared abundant, though few adults were captured. Spawning chum salmon were captured in the Tatonduk River on August 19, 1988. Resident fish species appeared scarce throughout the four rivers. The most common residents found in upstream sites were Arctic grayling Thymallus arcticus, slimy sculpin Cottus cognatus, round whitefish Prosopium cylindraceum, burbot Lota lota and longnose suckers Catastomus catostomus. Resident Dolly Varden char Salvelinus malma occurred in small numbers on the Nation River. Areas at or near the confluence with the Yukon River had the greatest fish species diversisty. Experimental gill nets were the most effective in capturing post-yearling Arctic grayling and beach seining captured the most young-of-the-year species. Growth (length-at-age) of Arctic grayling appears faster than for most interior Alaskan stocks. The Nation and Tatonduk rivers had the highest water quality values and aquatic macroinvertebrate density and biomass measurements.