Laserfiche WebLink
DEEPWATER CISCO <br />Coregonus johannae (Wagner, 1910) <br />Order: SALMONIFORMES Family: SALMONIDAE <br />Significance: The deepwater cisco is one of the two most important species in the early <br />chub fishery of the Great Lakes . <br />Distinguishing characteristics: Second largest of the ciscoes of the Great Lakes <br />distinguished by its very pale coloration and fewer gill rakers than other ciscoes . <br />Present distribution: Unknown if extant. <br />Former distribution: Once abundant in deeper waters of Lakes Michigan and Huron. <br />Status: At least seriously depleted, although probably extinct. <br />Estimated numbers: Last specimen reported in Lake Michigan in 1951. None seen <br />subsequently in fishery surveys of Lakes Michigan and Huron. <br />Fecundity: Spawned in deeper waters in late summer. <br />Reasons for decline: The decline in the early 1900's was probably due to intensive <br />commercial fishery. Recent decline and disappearance due to sea lamprey predation and <br />continued heavy fishing for larger ciscoes during the 1940's and 1950's . <br />Protective measures already taken: None. <br />Measures proposed: If a relict stock is found, they might be transferred to a remote lake. <br />Number in captivity: None . <br />Culture potential in captivity: Unknown . <br />Remarks: Data submitted by Dr . Stanford H . Smith, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, <br />Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Stanford Smith, BCF, in his letter of July 31, 1967', said, <br />"The last record of a deepwater cisco was in 1951." Dr. R. R. Miller reported on <br />October 3, 1968, that the deepwater cisco is extinct. <br />References: <br />Hile, R. and H. J. Buettner. 1955. Commercial fishery for chubs (ciscoes) in <br />Lake Michigan through 1953. U . S . Fish and Wildlife Serv . , Spec . Sci . Rept . -- <br />Fish . (163) : 49 . <br />Koelz, W. 1929. Coregonid fishes of the Great Lakes, Bull. U.S. Bur. Fish. <br />43,1927:297-643. <br />Smith, S . H . 1964. Status of the deepwater cisco population of Lake Michigan . <br />Trans. Am. Fish. Soc., 93(2):155-163. <br />11 <br />