thumbnail

Movements, growth, and rate of recapture of whitefish tagged in the Apostle Islands area of Lake Superior

Fishery Bulletin
By:

Links

Abstract

A total of 1,303 whitefish were marked with spaghetti streamer tags in Wisconsin waters off Lake Superior in November of 1959, 1960, and 1961 and June-July 1960. The fish tagged in June-July 1960 were mostly undersized (less than 17 inches long) whereas those captured on the spawning grounds and tagged in November 1959-61 were almost all legal size. Of the 374 recoveries (28.7 percent), nearly all were made during the first 2 years after tagging. The earliest returns were from fish which were among the largest when tagged. Over one-half of the recoveries were made within 5 miles of the tagging site; the greatest distance traveled by an individual was 25 miles. The fish tagged in June-July 1960 grew 1.6 inches the first season and 1.2 the second. Of 27 whitefish recaptured within 6 months from the November 1959-61 group, 17 (63 percent) had lost length (range from decrease 0.1 to 1.4 inches). Whitefish of the June-July group recaptured during the second growing season after tagging gave an exploitation rate of 22.6 percent. First-year returns from the November 1959-61 tagging gave an exploitation rate of 20.5 percent. The true exploitation rate probably is higher since no allowance has been made for tagging mortality, loss of tags, or unreported recaptures.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Movements, growth, and rate of recapture of whitefish tagged in the Apostle Islands area of Lake Superior
Series title Fishery Bulletin
Volume 63
Issue 3
Year Published 1964
Language English
Publisher U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Contributing office(s) Great Lakes Science Center
Description 8 p.
First page 611
Last page 618
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details