Spatial ecology of Lake Whitefish in the Bay of Quinte and eastern Lake Ontario

Session: Restoration and Management of Great Lakes Fishes (3)

Sarah Beech, Queen's University, [email protected]
Jim Hoyle, ON Ministry of Natural Resources, [email protected]
Erin Brown, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, [email protected]
Connor Elliott, Queen's University, [email protected]
Bruce Tufts, Queen's University, [email protected]

Abstract

Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) were historically abundant in Lake Ontario, but their numbers have been reduced by overfishing, habitat degradation and invasive species introductions. Decreased body condition and failing reproduction since the late 1990’s have also created an urgent need to better understand the ecology of this population. Using acoustic telemetry, this project is monitoring seasonal migration patterns of Lake Whitefish in the Bay of Quinte and eastern Lake Ontario. The main objectives of this project are to better understand current habitat use and spawning areas for this species. Data is now available for 29 Lake Whitefish tagged during their spawning migrations in the Bay of Quinte between April 2016 and November 2017. In spring/summer, whitefish usually occupy the lower sections of the bay with some individuals moving into the main lake. During the fall spawning season, most of the fish migrated to the upper parts of the bay and then overwintered in a variety of locations. The patterns of movement were notably different between individuals with some never leaving the bay while others moved out into the lake. An additional 27 Lake Whitefish were tagged in the fall of 2018 and future directions for this project will be discussed.