Seasonal Movement Patterns of Inconnu in an Arctic Estuary Delta Complex

Abstract

AbstractInconnu Stenodus leucichthys are a large, long‐lived, piscivorous whitefish harvested in subsistence and sport fisheries in Alaska. In the Kotzebue region of northwestern Alaska, Inconnu are one of the most important food fishes, with 20,000+ fish being harvested each year. This study was conducted to describe the summer and winter distribution of Inconnu from the Hotham Inlet–Selawik Lake delta complex, Alaska, between 2010 and 2012. Data collection methods consisted of surgically implanting acoustic telemetry tags in 80 fish from both the Selawik and Kobuk rivers in 2010 and 2011 (n = 320 total) and deploying a fixed array of 20 acoustic receiving stations throughout Selawik Lake and Hotham Inlet. Tagged Inconnu detections revealed that individuals from the Selawik and Kobuk rivers displayed a high degree of spatial and temporal overlap while colocated in the Hotham Inlet–Selawik Lake complex during both sampling years. During the winter period, tagged fish from both rivers predominately occupied the northern end of Hotham Inlet. In the summer period, fish moved between the northern end of Hotham Inlet to Selawik Lake and the southern end of Hotham Inlet. Average daily displacements for Selawik and Kobuk River Inconnu ranged from 2,000–10,000 m/d. As well as providing a more complete account of Inconnu life history, these results provide useful data that can be used for developing future management strategies, such as the appropriateness of stock‐specific harvest guidelines and spatial and temporal regulations.Received January 12, 2015; accepted May 6, 2015