Northern cisco
Encyclopedia
Coregonus artedi is a species of freshwater whitefish
in the family
(Salmonidae
). It is also known as the cisco, lake herring, chub, or tullibee, northern cisco.
This species occasionally grows as large as 40 cm and 2.3 kg (five pounds) but is more commonly 28 to 38 cm long and 170 to 907 grams (six ounces to two pounds) in weight. It is slender-bodied and silvery with pinkish iridescence on its sides.
It is a pelagic fish
occurring in the midwater zone of cold water lakes in North America. In the northern and western parts of its range it is also found in large rivers.
Diet is predominantly zooplankton
and insect larvae, although fish eggs and larvae, including those of their own species are also documented. Small fish, including some minnow species, are also known to be consumed at times.
Northern cisco are preyed upon by a wide variety of predatory species, and have a particularly important place in the diet of lake trout
(Salvelinus namaycush). It is also a common food of rainbow trout
(Oncorhynchus gairdneri), northern pike (Esox lucius), burbot
(Lota lota), yellow perch
, (Perca flavescens) and walleye
(Sander vitreum) where the species overlap ranges.
The abundance of northern cisco in the Laurentian Great Lakes is much reduced from the levels of the 19th Century. Once abundant in all five lakes, it is now common in only Lake Superior. The Lake Huron population has been increasing recently, perhaps as a consequence of low alewife
(Alosa pseudoharengus) abundance. Limited numbers have also reappeared in Lake Michigan's lower Green Bay. Numbers in Lakes Erie and Ontario remain far below historical levels. The reduced abundance is believed to result from the cumulative effects of several factors, including the expansion of non-native species such as alewife, rainbow smelt
(Osmerus mordax) and sea lamprey
(Petromyzon marinus). These species prey on and compete with various life stages of northern cisco. It is unclear what effect the annual stocking of several million non-native Pacific salmon in the Great Lakes has had on northern cisco.
As well, substantial environmental degradation in some parts of the range has undoubtedly contributed to the stresses on northern cisco populations. The populations are therefore believed to be more vulnerable to the effects of exploitation than previously, even at levels of harvest lower than what was once sustainable.
Northern cisco are fished commercially and for sport. In the early years of the fishery, herring provided some of the largest catches from the Great Lakes and, when salted down or smoked for preservation, provisioned much of the surrounding territory. Northern cisco roe is also valued on the international market.
and shortjaw cisco
. These species are often referred to as the "Coregonus artedi" complex (including the quotation marks).
Freshwater whitefish
The freshwater whitefish are fish of the subfamily Coregoninae in the salmon family Salmonidae. Along with the freshwater whitefish, the Salmonidae includes the freshwater and anadromous trout and salmon species as well as graylings...
in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Salmonidae
Salmonidae
Salmonidae is a family of ray-finned fish, the only living family currently placed in the order Salmoniformes. It includes salmon, trout, chars, freshwater whitefishes and graylings...
). It is also known as the cisco, lake herring, chub, or tullibee, northern cisco.
This species occasionally grows as large as 40 cm and 2.3 kg (five pounds) but is more commonly 28 to 38 cm long and 170 to 907 grams (six ounces to two pounds) in weight. It is slender-bodied and silvery with pinkish iridescence on its sides.
It is a pelagic fish
Pelagic fish
Pelagic fish live near the surface or in the water column of coastal, ocean and lake waters, but not on the bottom of the sea or the lake. They can be contrasted with demersal fish, which do live on or near the bottom, and reef fish which are associated with coral reefs.The marine pelagic...
occurring in the midwater zone of cold water lakes in North America. In the northern and western parts of its range it is also found in large rivers.
Diet is predominantly zooplankton
Zooplankton
Zooplankton are heterotrophic plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The word "zooplankton" is derived from the Greek zoon , meaning "animal", and , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter"...
and insect larvae, although fish eggs and larvae, including those of their own species are also documented. Small fish, including some minnow species, are also known to be consumed at times.
Northern cisco are preyed upon by a wide variety of predatory species, and have a particularly important place in the diet of lake trout
Lake trout
Lake trout is a freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, lake char , touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, they can also be variously known as siscowet, paperbellies and leans...
(Salvelinus namaycush). It is also a common food of rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
(Oncorhynchus gairdneri), northern pike (Esox lucius), burbot
Burbot
The burbot is the only gadiform fish inhabiting freshwaters. It is also known as mariah, the lawyer, and eelpout. It is closely related to the marine common ling and the cusk...
(Lota lota), yellow perch
Yellow perch
The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
, (Perca flavescens) and walleye
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
(Sander vitreum) where the species overlap ranges.
The abundance of northern cisco in the Laurentian Great Lakes is much reduced from the levels of the 19th Century. Once abundant in all five lakes, it is now common in only Lake Superior. The Lake Huron population has been increasing recently, perhaps as a consequence of low alewife
Alewife
The alewife is a species of herring. There are anadromous and landlocked forms. The landlocked form is also called a sawbelly or mooneye...
(Alosa pseudoharengus) abundance. Limited numbers have also reappeared in Lake Michigan's lower Green Bay. Numbers in Lakes Erie and Ontario remain far below historical levels. The reduced abundance is believed to result from the cumulative effects of several factors, including the expansion of non-native species such as alewife, rainbow smelt
Rainbow smelt
The rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, is an anadromous species of fish of the family Osmeridae. The distribution of Osmerus mordax is circumpolar. The rainbow smelt was introduced to the Great Lakes, and from there has made its way to various other places. Walleye, trout, and other larger fish prey on...
(Osmerus mordax) and sea lamprey
Sea lamprey
The sea lamprey is a parasitic lamprey found on the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America, in the western Mediterranean Sea, and in the Great Lakes. It is brown, gray, or black on its back and white or gray on the underside and can grow up to 90 cm long. Sea lampreys prey on a wide...
(Petromyzon marinus). These species prey on and compete with various life stages of northern cisco. It is unclear what effect the annual stocking of several million non-native Pacific salmon in the Great Lakes has had on northern cisco.
As well, substantial environmental degradation in some parts of the range has undoubtedly contributed to the stresses on northern cisco populations. The populations are therefore believed to be more vulnerable to the effects of exploitation than previously, even at levels of harvest lower than what was once sustainable.
Northern cisco are fished commercially and for sport. In the early years of the fishery, herring provided some of the largest catches from the Great Lakes and, when salted down or smoked for preservation, provisioned much of the surrounding territory. Northern cisco roe is also valued on the international market.
The "Coregonus artedi" species complex
The northern cisco is one of several closely related North American species. The group is the subject of considerable debate about the taxonomic relationships of different forms, and it has been credibly argued that the species described in this entry is merely one form of a larger species that includes all or some of species such as blackfin ciscoBlackfin cisco
The blackfin cisco is a North American salmonid fish in the freshwater whitefish sub-family Coregoninae. This silvery, deep-bodied fish with black fins, large eyes, a blunt snout and a terminal mouth, is one of the largest species of ciscoes...
and shortjaw cisco
Shortjaw cisco
The shortjaw cisco is a deepwater cisco or chub . It has large, smooth scales and is iridescent silver, with a greenish back and white belly. The mouth is small and toothless, and the lower jaw is shorter than or equal in length to the upper jaw...
. These species are often referred to as the "Coregonus artedi" complex (including the quotation marks).