Reproductive biology of anadromous arctic char, Salvelinus alpinus (L.)? in the Cumberland Sound area of Baffin Island

• Published in: Journal of Fish Biology
• Main Author: Moore, J. W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1975
• Subjects: Arctic; Baffin Island; Cumberland Sound; Baffin; Salvelinus alpinus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1975.tb04584.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1095-8649.1975.tb04584.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1975.tb04584.x

The ovaries of anadromous arctic char, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), captured during 1973 from four high arctic rivers on Baffin Island started to increase in weight early in July and were at their heaviest in mid‐September just before spawning. At this time, 40 cm (615 g) char from two rivers contained ovaries weighing 17.0 g (dry) which differed significantly from the 22.5 g gonads of comparable char from the other two areas. Gonadal development in male fish began in June and the diameter of testes at full maturity (3.0–4.0 cm) was similar regardless of river system. Fecundity of comparable fish varied significantly among the rivers with char 40 cm in length containing 1400–2400 eggs while the corresponding values for 60 cm (i.e. 2050 g) char ranged from 4000–5500. The diameter of both immature and mature eggs was similar regardless of system. Values for immature eggs averaged 0.64 mm in 40 cm fish and 1.60 mm in 60 cm specimens. Diameter of mature eggs, on the other hand, was considerably greater (3.2 and 4.3 mm, respectively). Maturity was first reached at age 10 (i.e. 35 cm) in both males and females and maturing fish of both sexes were not always restricted to fresh water. Redd construction occurred at a depth of one to at least 11 m at a temperature of 0.5–4.0° C. The percentage of eggs retained in the body cavity after spawning varied from 0.22–1.50 and the mortality rate of spawned eggs was extremely low.