Progress Report March Project FIS 1-5 Summary of Whitefish movement, Whitefish Lake Weir, Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, 1 Frank G. Harris and Ken C. Harper U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Kenai Fishery Resource Office P.O. Box 17 Kenai, Alaska 9911 (97) -93 Wayne Morgan and Harry Morgan Kuskokwim Native Association P.O. Box 17 Aniak, AK 99557 (97) 75-3 This project (FIS 1-5) was a cooperative project between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Kuskokwim Native Association under Fish and Wildlife Service Agreement 7111J371. This report was created to accommodate timely reporting of recently collected information. This report has received only limited internal review, contains preliminary data, and will be finalized in more formal literature in the future. Consequently, this report should not be cited without prior approval of the authors or the Division of Fishery Resources. The U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination in Departmental Federally Conducted Programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or handicap. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or if you desire further information please write to: U.S. Department of Interior Office for equal Opportunity 19 C Street, N.W. Washington D.C.
Progress Report, March Summary of Whitefish Movement, Whitefish Lake Weir, Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, 1 Frank G. Harris and Ken G. Harper U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kenai Fishery Resource Office P.O. Box 17, Kenai, Alaska 9911, (97) -93 Wayne Morgan and Harry Morgan Kuskokwim Native Association P.O. Box 17, Aniak, AK 99557, (97) 75-3 A rigid weir with both an upstream and downstream trap was installed and operated at the outlet of Whitefish Lake between September 1 st and October 11 th, 1. Study objectives are to enumerate daily whitefish passage into and out of Whitefish Lake, determine areas in the Kuskokwim River drainage where Whitefish Lake fish are harvested, and estimate age composition, for whitefish sampled. The study was delayed in 1 pending signing of a land lease for the camp and weir location. Several site visits were made with personnel from the Kuskokwim Native Association and The Kuskokwim Corporation to determine the location of the site and determine land ownership. Leases were sought from two parties at the outlet of the lake, The Kuskokwim Corporation and an allotment holder. Equipment and weir materials were moved to Whitefish Lake for installation once a land lease was secured from The Kuskokwim Corporation on August 7. A land lease from the native allotment holders on the opposite side of the river was not obtained. Numerous weir modifications were made to accommodate channel morphology and boat passage, and to remain clear of the lands on the opposite side of the outlet at the lake. These modifications and camp construction delayed a fish tight operation until September 1. All whitefish that passed through the weir were identified to species, measured to the nearest 5mm, tagged with individual numbered grey floy t bar tags, and the first 1 of each species had a genetic sample taken and archived. Approximately 5 fish from each 1mm size group had a scale taken from either the traps or from subsistence gill nets. Humpback whitefish Coregonus pidschian movement through the weir was the highest of all three species of whitefish (Figure 1). A total of 13 of the 15 humpback whitefish that passed through the downstream trap were tagged, and all that passed upstream were tagged (Table 1). The mean size of these fish was 357mm, while the range was mm to 5mm. A total of 553 humpback whitefish were sampled from subsistence fishermen gill nets. Lengths of the gill net caught fish ranged from to 5 mm and averaged mm (Figure ). Females comprised % of the 5 humpback whitefish sampled from gill net catches. All females were ripe and ready to spawn with loose eggs and males were ripe and running milt. Scale and otolith samples have also been collected. Age data will be included in subsequent reports. Least cisco C. sardinella, were the second most abundant fish moving through the weir. A total
of of the 9 least cisco that passed through the downstream trap were tagged, while 3 of the that moved upstream were tagged and one was a recaptured fish (Table 1). The mean size of the fish sampled from the traps was 31mm, and ranged from 195mm to 39mm. A total of least cisco were caught in subsistence gill nets with a mean of 35mm, and ranged from 7mm to 35mm (Figure 3). Nineteen fish were sampled from subsistence catches and the sex composition was % males and 3% females. All females and males were ripe and ready to spawn. Scales from least cisco were collected from both the trap and gill nets. Ages will be included in subsequent reports. Broad whitefish C. nasus, were the least numerous of the three whitefish species. Only 1 broad whitefish passed through the weir (Table 1); all 9 that passed downstream were tagged. The only broad whitefish that went upstream was a fish that was already tagged. The mean length of the fish that passed through the weir was 9mm, with a range of 37 to 3mm. Subsistence harvested broad whitefish (N=) averaged 5 mm and ranged from 39 to 5 mm (Figure ). Sex was determined from six of these broad whitefish passing the weir with 33% being males and 7% females. Four females sampled from the subsistence fishery were ripe and ready to spawn and most males were ripe and running milt. Scales were taken at both the weir and from the gill nets, while otoliths were taken from gill nets. Age data will be included in subsequent reports. The weir was removed from the creek on October 1 th. All pieces were stored on the bank of the creek near camp, except for the traps and boat passage gate, which were left on the shore of the lake for ease of installation in. An added benefit of having a camp at the outlet was being able to gather subsistence catch data. Most subsistence users stopped and allowed biological data to be collected from their catch. Because most of the catch occurred during the time of the weir operation, the data on length is considered representative of the catch. Between September 1 st and October 11 th an estimated total of 15 subsistence fishermen made sets in the lake. Catches ranged between 1 to approximately 1 fish, with the average between to 7 fish. This project (FIS 1-5) was funded under cooperative agreement 7111J371 between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Subsistence Management and the Kuskokwim Native Association (KNA). The Cooperative Agreement provided funding to KNA. Mr Wayne Morgan the natural resource director of KNA hired personnel, and purchased equipment and supplies for weir operations. KNA provided three personnel through this agreement, Rodney Sakar and James Kavamme who helped install the weir and build the camp and Harry Morgan who helped collect information on whitefish at the weir. Special appreciation goes to Wayne Morgan Natural Resource Director of KNA for his recruiting and support of the project.
5 Humpback Whitefish N= 15 Water Temperature 1 1 Number 5 15 1 15 1 5 5 5 15 9/ 9/3 9/ 9/3 9/ 9/5 9/ 9/7 9/ 9/9 9/3 1/1 9/ 9/5 9/ 9/7 9/ 9/9 9/3 1/1 1/ 1/3 Least Cisco N= 9 Water Temperature Broad Whitefish N= 1 Water Temperature 1/ 1/3 1/ 1/5 1/ 1/7 1/ 1/9 1/1 1/11 1/ 1/5 1/ 1/7 1/ 1/9 1/1 1/11 1 1 Temperature C o 1 1 1 5 9/ 9/3 9/ 9/5 9/ 9/7 9/ 9/9 9/3 1/1 Date 1/ 1/3 1/ 1/5 1/ 1/7 1/ 1/9 1/1 1/11 Figure 1. Temperature and downstream passage of whitefish through the Whitefish Lake weir, September - October 11, 1.
Frequency 9 7 5 3 1 9 7 5 3 1 19 1 19 1 Subsistence Gill Net N=553 3 5 Weir N=15 3 5 7 9 31 33 35 37 39 1 3 Size (MM) 7 9 31 33 35 37 39 1 3 5 7 9 51 53 55 57 59 1 3 5 5 7 9 51 53 55 57 59 1 3 5 Figure. Length frequency of humpback whitefish passed through Whitefish Lake weir and sampled from subsistence gill nets set in Whitefish Lake, September - October 11, 1. 5
1 1 Subsistence Gill Nets N= 1 1 Frequency 1 1 1 1 19 1 19 1 3 5 7 9 31 33 35 37 39 1 3 3 5 7 9 31 33 35 37 39 Weir N=9 Length (MM) 5 7 9 51 53 55 57 59 1 3 5 1 3 5 7 9 51 53 55 57 59 1 3 5 Figure 3. Length frequency of Least Cisco passed through Whitefish Lake weir and sampled from subsistence gill nets set in Whitefish Lake, September - October 11, 1.
Subsistence Gill Nets N= 19 3 Number 1 3 19 1 Weir N=1 3 5 7 9 31 33 35 37 39 1 3 5 7 9 51 53 55 57 59 1 3 5 1 19 1 3 5 7 9 31 33 35 37 39 1 3 5 Size (MM) 7 9 51 53 55 57 59 1 3 5 Figure. Length frequency of Broad Whitefish passed through Whitefish Lake weir and sampled from subsistence gill nets set in Whitefish Lake, September, October 11, 1. 7
Table 1. Whitefish tag numbers in fish tagged at the Whitefish Lake weir, Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge 1. Tag # Species Length Date Tag # Species Length Date 1 Humpback W.F. 39 9/3 55 Least Cisco 3 9/3 Humpback W.F. 9/3 5 Humpback W.F. 9/3 3 Least Cisco 35 9/3 57 Humpback W.F. 3 9/3 Humpback W.F. 3 9/3 5 Least Cisco 3 9/3 Least Cisco 335 9/ 59 Humpback W.F. 335 9/3 7 Humpback W.F. 35 9/5 Humpback W.F. 3 9/3 Humpback W.F. 55 9/5 1 Humpback W.F. 3 9/3 9 Humpback W.F. 3 9/5 Humpback W.F. 5 9/3 1 Humpback W.F. 37 9/5 3 Humpback W.F. 37 9/3 1 Humpback W.F. 37 9/ Least Cisco 9 1/1 15 Humpback W.F. 3 9/ 5 Humpback W.F. 95 1/1 1 Humpback W.F. 5 9/ Humpback W.F. 5 1/1 17 Humpback W.F. 1 9/ 7 Least Cisco 3 1/1 1 Broad W.F. 39 9/ Least Cisco 3 1/1 19 Humpback W.F. 3 9/ 9 Least Cisco 35 1/1 Humpback W.F. 31 9/ 7 Humpback W.F. 315 1/1 1 Humpback W.F. 3 9/ 71 Humpback W.F. 1 1/1 Humpback W.F. 395 9/ 7 Humpback W.F. 5 1/1 3 Humpback W.F. 37 9/ 73 Humpback W.F. 33 1/1 Humpback W.F. 31 9/ 7 Humpback W.F. 39 1/ 5 Humpback W.F. 35 9/ 75 Humpback W.F. 3 1/ Humpback W.F. 37 9/ 7 Humpback W.F. 355 1/3 7 Humpback W.F. 3 9/ 77 Least Cisco 3 1/3 Humpback W.F. 37 9/ 7 Humpback W.F. 375 1/ 9 Humpback W.F. 9 9/ 79 Least Cisco 3 1/ 3 Humpback W.F. 3 9/ 1 Humpback W.F. 3 1/ 31 Humpback W.F. 9/ Humpback W.F. 3 1/ 3 Humpback W.F. 39 9/ 3 Humpback W.F. 355 1/ 33 Humpback W.F. 37 9/ Humpback W.F. 35 1/ 3 Humpback W.F. 9/7 5 Least Cisco 31 1/ 35 Least Cisco 3 9/7 Humpback W.F. 1 1/ 3 Humpback W.F. 395 9/7 7 Humpback W.F. 35 1/ 37 Humpback W.F. 35 9/7 Least Cisco 35 1/5 3 Humpback W.F. 3 9/7 9 Humpback W.F. 95 1/5 39 Least Cisco 33 9/7 9 Least Cisco 35 1/5 Least Cisco 315 9/7 91 Humpback W.F. 3 1/5 1 Humpback W.F. 3 9/7 9 Least Cisco 75 1/5 Humpback W.F. 9 9/7 93 Humpback W.F. 375 1/5 3 Least Cisco 9 9/7 9 Humpback W.F. 35 1/5 Humpback W.F. 355 9/ 95 Humpback W.F. 1/5 5 Humpback W.F. 315 9/ 9 Humpback W.F. 3 1/5 Least Cisco 35 9/9 97 Least Cisco 33 1/5 7 Least Cisco 35 9/9 9 Humpback W.F. 15 1/5 Least Cisco 3 9/9 99 Humpback W.F. 355 1/5 9 Humpback W.F. 33 9/9 1 Humpback W.F. 37 1/5 5 Humpback W.F. 35 9/9 1 Humpback W.F. 3 1/5 51 Humpback W.F. 35 9/9 13 Humpback W.F. 355 1/5 5 Least Cisco 3 9/9 17 Humpback W.F. 35 1/5 53 Broad W.F. 5 9/3 1 Least Cisco 3 1/5 53 Broad W.F. 5 9/3 19 Least Cisco 5 1/5 5 Least Cisco 35 9/3 11 Humpback W.F. 1 1/5
Table 1. Continued Tag # Species Length Date Tag # Species Length Date 113 Humpback W.F. 37 1/5 1 Least Cisco 35 1/7 11 Least Cisco 3 1/5 17 Least Cisco 3 1/7 11 Humpback W.F. 35 1/5 1 Humpback W.F. 1/7 117 Humpback W.F. 35 1/5 19 Humpback W.F. 315 1/7 11 Humpback W.F. 37 1/5 17 Humpback W.F. 5 1/7 119 Humpback W.F. 35 1/5 171 Humpback W.F. 335 1/7 1 Least Cisco 35 1/5 17 Humpback W.F. 3 1/7 11 Humpback W.F. 315 1/5 173 Humpback W.F. 9 1/7 1 Humpback W.F. 35 1/5 17 Humpback W.F. 35 1/7 13 Least Cisco 95 1/ 175 Least Cisco 335 1/7 1 Humpback W.F. 39 1/ 17 Humpback W.F. 3 1/7 15 Humpback W.F. 1/ 177 Least Cisco 37 1/7 1 Least Cisco 35 1/ 17 Humpback W.F. 1/7 17 Humpback W.F. 1/ 179 Humpback W.F. 33 1/7 1 Humpback W.F. 3 1/ 1 Humpback W.F. 3 1/7 19 Least Cisco 35 1/ 11 Humpback W.F. 37 1/7 13 Humpback W.F. 39 1/ 1 Humpback W.F. 3 1/7 131 Humpback W.F. 375 1/ 13 Humpback W.F. 39 1/7 13 Least Cisco 3 1/ 1 Least Cisco 39 1/7 133 Least Cisco 3 1/ 15 Humpback W.F. 3 1/7 13 Humpback W.F. 355 1/ 1 Humpback W.F. 5 1/7 135 Humpback W.F. 35 1/ 17 Humpback W.F. 3 1/ 13 Least Cisco 5 1/ 1 Humpback W.F. 1/ 137 Humpback W.F. 9 1/ 19 Least Cisco 35 1/ 13 Humpback W.F. 35 1/ 19 Least Cisco 3 1/ 139 Humpback W.F. 355 1/ 191 Humpback W.F. 39 1/ 1 Humpback W.F. 75 1/ 19 Humpback W.F. 1/ 11 Least Cisco 95 1/ 193 Humpback W.F. 3 1/ 1 Humpback W.F. 1/ 19 Humpback W.F. 1/ 13 Humpback W.F. 35 1/ 195 Least Cisco 1/ 1 Humpback W.F. 35 1/ 19 Least Cisco 3 1/ 15 Humpback W.F. 3 1/ 197 Broad W.F. 1 1/ 1 Humpback W.F. 35 1/ 19 Humpback W.F. 315 1/ 17 Humpback W.F. 39 1/ 199 Least Cisco 31 1/ 1 Humpback W.F. 35 1/ Least Cisco 3 1/ 19 Least Cisco 5 1/ 1 Least Cisco 3 1/ 15 Least Cisco 95 1/ Humpback W.F. 35 1/ 151 Least Cisco 3 1/ 3 Humpback W.F. 1/9 15 Humpback W.F. 39 1/ Least Cisco 31 1/9 153 Humpback W.F. 39 1/ 5 Humpback W.F. 1 1/9 15 Humpback W.F. 3 1/ Least Cisco 35 1/9 155 Humpback W.F. 3 1/7 7 Broad W.F. 55 1/9 15 Humpback W.F. 95 1/7 7 Broad W.F. 1/9 157 Humpback W.F. 31 1/7 Least Cisco 35 1/9 15 Humpback W.F. 3 1/7 9 Humpback W.F. 35 1/9 159 Least Cisco 31 1/7 1 Humpback W.F. 31 1/9 1 Least Cisco 31 1/7 11 Least Cisco 315 1/9 11 Least Cisco 31 1/7 1 Humpback W.F. 375 1/9 1 Humpback W.F. 95 1/7 13 Humpback W.F. 3 1/9 13 Humpback W.F. 9 1/7 1 Humpback W.F. 5 1/9 1 Least Cisco 31 1/7 15 Broad W.F. 57 1/1 9
Table 1. Continued Tag # Species Length Date 15 Humpback W.F. 9 1/7 1 Broad W.F. 5 1/1 17 Humpback W.F. 9 1/1 1 Least Cisco 35 1/1 19 Least Cisco 3 1/1 Humpback W.F. 35 1/1 1 Least Cisco 7 1/1 Least Cisco 35 1/1 3 Humpback W.F. 35 1/1 Least Cisco 315 1/1 5 Humpback W.F. 9 1/1 Humpback W.F. 5 1/1 7 Least Cisco 35 1/1 Broad W.F. 3 1/1 9 Least Cisco 35 1/1 3 Humpback W.F. 1/1 31 Least Cisco 3 1/1 3 Broad W.F. 59 1/11 3 Least Cisco 33 1/11 35 Humpback W.F. 1/11 1