Sockeye Salmon / Kokanee

Oncorhynchus nerka

General Status Rank: 
Vagrant
ELCODE: 
AFCHA02040
Common Name: 
Sockeye Salmon / Kokanee
Scientific Name: 
Oncorhynchus nerka
Synonyms: 
Salmo gairdneri
Naming References: 
B011
B059
B061
W012
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Taxonomy
Group: 
Fish
Kingdom: 
Animalia
Phylum: 
Chordata
Class: 
Actinopterygii
Order: 
Salmoniformes
Family: 
Salmonidae
References: 
B011
B059
B062
W012
General Biology

Female Age at Maturity

3 to 8 years but usually 4 years
References: 
B011
B059
B061

Longevity

max 8 years(B011, B059, B061). Lifespan of the kokanee varies from two to seven years in different stocks(W017)
References: 
B011
B059
B061
W017

Economic/Human Considerations

important to native and commercial fisheries but not in the N.W.T.(B011, B059, B061) fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums, The sockeye is one of the most commercially important Pacific salmons; the kokanee is primarily a sport fish (W017)
References: 
B011
B059
B061
W017
Habitat
adults = marine spawning = in freshwater streams, not far on small rivers, but very far upstream on the larger rivers. alevins= live under gravel for several weeks. Upon emerging stay in freshwater for 2 to 5 years. smolts = migrate to sea(B011, B059, B061). Env:epipelagic; anadromous; freshwater; brackish; marine ; depth range 0-250m. Clim:polar; 0-25°C; 71°N-37°N (W017).
References: 
B011
B059
B061
H139
W017
Distribution

Ecozones

Southern Arctic, Taiga Plains, Beaufort Sea Amundsen Gulf, Queen Maud Gulf
References: 
B011
B059
B061
R131
B172

Distribution

rare visitor; caught in Sachs Harbour and Holman (A113); The Sockeye Salmon occurs throughout Alaska south of Point Hope, and as strays along the North Slope (Mecklenburg et al. 2002). This species also occurs in Pacific drainages of the southwestern YT (Scott and Crossman 1973; Lee et al. 1980), and in the Kitikmeot area of NU (Stephenson 2005, 2006). The occurrence of Kokanee in Great Slave Lake was most consistent with downstream emigration from lakes in northern BC via the Peace River (Babaluk et al. 2000). Therefore, the extension south along the Peace River was added to the distribution to account for the possibility that individual fish may survive migration through dams from the Thutade, Williston and Arctic lakes in BC (Babaluk et al. 2000). The distribution for Sockeye Salmon was also extended east along the coast line to Bathurst Inlet, NU, and north to Sachs Harbour on Banks Island and around Prince Albert Sound on Victoria Island (Stephenson 2005, 2006). (B172)
Score: 
E
References: 
B011
B059
B061
A113
B172
Marine Distribution Description: 
Visitor to Beaufort Sea

Number of Occurrences

rare visitor, A few specimens have been collected in Great Slave Lake; One record of non-anadromous (Kokanee) salmon found in 1991 in GSL
Score: 
A
References: 
H133
A114

Historical Distribution

References: 
B011
B059
B061

Area of Occupancy

Once in the lake, the young spend a few weeks inshore, feeding largely on ostracods, cladocerans and insect larvae. The fish then become pelagic and move offshore, where they feed on plankton in the upper 20 m or so. Seaward migration follows with the young individuals first staying fairly close to shore, feeding mainly on zooplankton, but also on small fishes and insects. With growth, they head out to sea and fish become important in the diet. Kokanee are confined to lake-stream systems, and most of its life is spent in the lake (W017)
Score: 
-
Population

Population Size

Very small(H133); Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.37-0.58; tm=2-4; tmax=7; Fec=300)(W017). 84cm (R131)
Score: 
AC
References: 
H133
R131
W017
Threats

Threats

None known
References: 
H133

Intrinsic Vulnerability

climate change will likely have positive effects for increasing occurrences in areas, establishing new populations, etc.
Score: 
-
References: 
H133
General Status Rank
Rank: 
Vagrant
Status Rank Description: 
rare (R131)
S Rank: 
SNA
Decision Process Description: 
Drafted by the Arctic Stock Assessment DFO Committee - Freshwater Fishes - Chris Day, Dr. Ross Tallman, Dr. Sue Cosens with review by S. Carriere Reviewed by Dr. Reist, DFO in 2000; Reviewed by L Cooper, G Low, Dr Reist in 2005, no change.; Reviewed by DFO in 2010,no change; Reviewed by DFO in 2015, no change
Last Updated: 
May 5, 2016

References

Age Of Maturity

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return
  • McPhail JD, and Lindsey CC (1970) Freshwater Fishes of Northwestern Canada and Alaska. Queen's Printer for Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin No. 173 RWED Library Call QL 626.M3 - B059 Return
  • Hunter JG (1974) Pacific salmon in Arctic Canada.. Fisheries Research Board of Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Manuscript Report Series 1319: 12 p. - B061 Return

Economic Status

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return
  • McPhail JD, and Lindsey CC (1970) Freshwater Fishes of Northwestern Canada and Alaska. Queen's Printer for Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin No. 173 RWED Library Call QL 626.M3 - B059 Return
  • Hunter JG (1974) Pacific salmon in Arctic Canada.. Fisheries Research Board of Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Manuscript Report Series 1319: 12 p. - B061 Return
  • FishBase (2004) Fish Base, accessed Nov 5, 2004. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2004 www.fishbase.org, version (09/2004) - W017 Return

Ecozones

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return
  • McPhail JD, and Lindsey CC (1970) Freshwater Fishes of Northwestern Canada and Alaska. Queen's Printer for Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin No. 173 RWED Library Call QL 626.M3 - B059 Return
  • Hunter JG (1974) Pacific salmon in Arctic Canada.. Fisheries Research Board of Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Manuscript Report Series 1319: 12 p. - B061 Return
  • Coad B.W. and Reist J.D. (2004) Annotated List of the Arctic Marine Fishes of Canada.. DFO, Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2674 - R131 Return
  • Sawatzky, C.D., Michalak, D. Reist, J.D. Carmichael, T.J., Mandrak, N.E., Heuring, L.G. (2007) Distributions of freshwater and anadromous fishes from the mainland Northwest Territories, Canada.. Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2793 - B172 Return

Habitat

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return
  • McPhail JD, and Lindsey CC (1970) Freshwater Fishes of Northwestern Canada and Alaska. Queen's Printer for Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin No. 173 RWED Library Call QL 626.M3 - B059 Return
  • Hunter JG (1974) Pacific salmon in Arctic Canada.. Fisheries Research Board of Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Manuscript Report Series 1319: 12 p. - B061 Return
  • Reist, JD (2000) Pers. communication. DFO Research Scientist and Head Arctic Fish Ecology and Assessment Research Section Fisheries and Oceans Canada DFO - H139 Return
  • FishBase (2004) Fish Base, accessed Nov 5, 2004. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2004 www.fishbase.org, version (09/2004) - W017 Return

Historical Distribution

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return
  • McPhail JD, and Lindsey CC (1970) Freshwater Fishes of Northwestern Canada and Alaska. Queen's Printer for Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin No. 173 RWED Library Call QL 626.M3 - B059 Return
  • Hunter JG (1974) Pacific salmon in Arctic Canada.. Fisheries Research Board of Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Manuscript Report Series 1319: 12 p. - B061 Return

Intrinsic Vulnerability

  • Arctic Stock Assessment DFO Committee - Freshwater Fishes - Chris Day, Dr. Ross Tallman, Dr. Sue Cosens (2000) Pers. communication. Arctic Stock Assessment Section, DFO Science Directorate, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Cres., R3T 2N6 , 204 983 5158 - H133 Return

Longevity

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return
  • McPhail JD, and Lindsey CC (1970) Freshwater Fishes of Northwestern Canada and Alaska. Queen's Printer for Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin No. 173 RWED Library Call QL 626.M3 - B059 Return
  • Hunter JG (1974) Pacific salmon in Arctic Canada.. Fisheries Research Board of Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Manuscript Report Series 1319: 12 p. - B061 Return
  • FishBase (2004) Fish Base, accessed Nov 5, 2004. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2004 www.fishbase.org, version (09/2004) - W017 Return

Naming

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return
  • McPhail JD, and Lindsey CC (1970) Freshwater Fishes of Northwestern Canada and Alaska. Queen's Printer for Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin No. 173 RWED Library Call QL 626.M3 - B059 Return
  • Hunter JG (1974) Pacific salmon in Arctic Canada.. Fisheries Research Board of Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Manuscript Report Series 1319: 12 p. - B061 Return
  • Fish Base (1999) FishBase 99. http://www.cgiar.org/iclarm/fishbase/ - W012 Return

NWT Known Subspecies

Sawatzky, C.D., Michalak, D. Reist, J.D. Carmichael, T.J., Mandrak, N.E., Heuring, L.G. (2007) Distributions of freshwater and anadromous fishes from the mainland Northwest Territories, Canada.. Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2793 - B172 Return

Number of Occurrences

  • Arctic Stock Assessment DFO Committee - Freshwater Fishes - Chris Day, Dr. Ross Tallman, Dr. Sue Cosens (2000) Pers. communication. Arctic Stock Assessment Section, DFO Science Directorate, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Cres., R3T 2N6 , 204 983 5158 - H133 Return
  • Babaluk, J. A., Reist, J. D., Low. G. (2000) First record of Kokanee Salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, in Slave Lake, Northwest Territories.. Canadian Field Naturalist 114:680-684 - A114 Return

Population Size

Arctic Stock Assessment DFO Committee - Freshwater Fishes - Chris Day, Dr. Ross Tallman, Dr. Sue Cosens (2000) Pers. communication. Arctic Stock Assessment Section, DFO Science Directorate, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Cres., R3T 2N6 , 204 983 5158 - H133 Return
,
Coad B.W. and Reist J.D. (2004) Annotated List of the Arctic Marine Fishes of Canada.. DFO, Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2674 - R131 Return
,
FishBase (2004) Fish Base, accessed Nov 5, 2004. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2004 www.fishbase.org, version (09/2004) - W017 Return

Range Extent

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return
  • McPhail JD, and Lindsey CC (1970) Freshwater Fishes of Northwestern Canada and Alaska. Queen's Printer for Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin No. 173 RWED Library Call QL 626.M3 - B059 Return
  • Hunter JG (1974) Pacific salmon in Arctic Canada.. Fisheries Research Board of Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Manuscript Report Series 1319: 12 p. - B061 Return
  • Babaluk, J. A., Reist, J. D., Johnson, J. D., Johnson, L. (2000) First records of Sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka) and Pink Salmon (O. gorbuscha) from Banks Island and other Records of Pacific slamon in Northwest Territories, Canada.. Arctic 53:161-164 - A113 Return
  • Sawatzky, C.D., Michalak, D. Reist, J.D. Carmichael, T.J., Mandrak, N.E., Heuring, L.G. (2007) Distributions of freshwater and anadromous fishes from the mainland Northwest Territories, Canada.. Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2793 - B172 Return

Taxonomy

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return
  • McPhail JD, and Lindsey CC (1970) Freshwater Fishes of Northwestern Canada and Alaska. Queen's Printer for Canada Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin No. 173 RWED Library Call QL 626.M3 - B059 Return
  • McPhail JD (1961) A systematic study of the Salvelinus alpinus complex in North America. . Fisheries Research Board of Canada Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada 18:793-816. - B062 Return
  • Fish Base (1999) FishBase 99. http://www.cgiar.org/iclarm/fishbase/ - W012 Return

Threats

  • Arctic Stock Assessment DFO Committee - Freshwater Fishes - Chris Day, Dr. Ross Tallman, Dr. Sue Cosens (2000) Pers. communication. Arctic Stock Assessment Section, DFO Science Directorate, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Cres., R3T 2N6 , 204 983 5158 - H133 Return