The relationships between anadromy, sex ratio and parr growth of Arctic charr in a lake in North Norway

Abstract

Relationships between the degree of anadromy, sex ratio and parr growth of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus were investigated in Lake Storvatn in Hammerfest town, by estimating the densities of resident and anadromous charr in the lake, and by comparing the smolt characteristics of fish captured in the outlet river with those of fish of the same age in the lake. About two‐thirds of the charr older than 5 years were anadromous. The sex ratio of smolts was approximately 1 : 1 and the frequency of mature male parr in the lake was low. As females tended to dominate the mature portion of the anadromous population, there was probably a relatively higher mortality among sea‐run male smolts. The youngest smolts (3+ and 4+) were probably recruited from fast‐growing parr in the littoral zone, while older smolts (>4+) may have been recruited from all habitats in the lake.