Profile

Véronique Dubos
Postdoctoral fellow
Department of Biology
Laval University
Veronique.Dubos.1@ulaval.ca

Supervised by:

Jean-Sébastien Moore (Regular member)

Research project description

Study of the movements, habitat and ecology of Arctic char and lake trout using acoustic telemetry in the Ikaluktutiak region (Cambridge Bay)

IntroductionThe Ikaluktutiak (Cambridge Bay) region sustains the largest Arctic char commercial fishery in Canada. The commercially fished Arctic char populations of the Kitikmeot Sea have been studied for 30 years to understand movements and stock mixing for sustainable management. However, the Inuit from Ikaluktutiak use the Greiner Lake system as a major source of subsistence fishing for sea-run Arctic char and lake trout. Despite its importance for the community, little is known about the fish ecology from the Greiner system since the commercial fishery is not operating there. Moreover, the community has raised concerns about the increasing shipping traffic in the bay of Ikaluktutiak and its potential impact on the fish. ObjectivesThe study’s main objectives are: 1) To assess the movements and habitat use of the Greiner system’s sea-run Arctic char and Lake trout by tracking the fish with a fine-scale acoustic telemetry positioning system. 2) To assess the environmental characteristics that trigger movement, migration timing, and habitat selectivity in freshwater, estuary, and marine environment. 3) Since previous studies have shown that char can migrate in different river systems, the project also aims to track the movement of the Greiner fish in the estuary and along the coast to see how this population can mix with the commercially fished populations of the neighboring systems. 4) Assess the impact of increasing marine traffic on two marine fish species, Greenland cod and sculpin, that also occupy the bay near Cambridge Bay. Study sitesThe project is conducted in Ikaluktutiak (Cambridge-Bay) region, on Victoria Island, Nunavut. Fieldwork will be conducted in the bay, in the estuary of the Freshwater Creek that flows close to the community, and in the freshwater system of the Greiner Lake watershed.Material and methodsNearly 120 fish, mainly Arctic char and lake trout, but also Greenland cod and sculpin, were surgically implanted with acoustic transmitters. To follow their movements and behavior, fixed acoustic receivers have been installed in two lakes and in the bay of Ikaluktutiak. The important density of the receivers will allow us to detect the fine-scale position of the fish (meter scale) during a year, including winter and migration period. The environmental conditions (tides, temperature, oxygen, season, …) and marine traffic in the bay will be monitored and compared with the fish behavior. Since the Greiner system is located close to the community and is popular for subsistence fishing, Inuit knowledge of fish ecology, movement, and habitat use will be integrated. Expected resultsWe expect to shed light on several aspects of the ecology of the studied fish. The spawning and winter behavior of Arctic char and lake trout in the same lakes will be analyzed at fine-scale and compared in two lakes. We expect to observe the acclimation behavior of anadromous Arctic char in the estuary of Freshwater Creek, before they enter the marine environment at full salinity. Regarding Greenland cod and Sculpin, which are marine fish tagged in the bay, their seasonal behavior and their habitat use in relation to temperature and salinity will be analyzed. The impact of commercial marine traffic, increasing from year to year, will be assessed by the movements of the tagged fish in the bay.

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