Mountain Whitefish

Prosopium williamsoni

General Status Rank: 
Undetermined
ELCODE: 
AFCHA03060
Common Name: 
Mountain Whitefish
Scientific Name: 
Prosopium williamsoni
Naming References: 
B011
B059
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Taxonomy
Group: 
Fish
Kingdom: 
Animalia
Phylum: 
Chordata
Class: 
Actinopterygii
Order: 
Salmoniformes
Family: 
Salmonidae
References: 
W012
General Biology

Female Age at Maturity

3 or 4 years
References: 
B011
B059

Longevity

17 or 18 years
References: 
B011
B059
Habitat
adults = in lakes and streams of foothills and moutains spawning = gravel shallows in lakes and/or tributary streams fry = move to deeper areas a few weeks after hatching
References: 
B011
B059
Distribution

Ecozones

Taiga Cordillera, Taiga Plains, Boreal Cordillera
References: 
B011
B059
B172

Distribution

10% ,Present in Mackenzie river, Liard and Nahanni rivers Distributed in the Mackenzie River system, Mountain Whitefish exhibit lacustrine, adfluvial, and riverine life history types, but are rarely found in lakes in the NT. The NT distribution area for Mountain Whitefish was extended north to Oscar Creek along the Mackenzie River, north to the Mountain River, west along the Flat River and through Prairie, Harrison, and Marengo creeks, and east along the Trout River (Jessop et al. 1974; Stein et al. 1973a; Stewart 1996). The distribution area along the BC border is considered to be uncertain. (B172)
Score: 
G
References: 
B011
B059
B172
Marine Distribution Description: 
freshwater only

Number of Occurrences

42 sites (B163) in Mackenzie, Liard and Nahanni
Score: 
C
References: 
B011
B059
BSC4
B172

Historical Distribution

References: 
B011
B059

Area of Occupancy

unknown
Score: 
-
Threats

Threats

unknown
Score: 
C

Intrinsic Vulnerability

unknown
Score: 
-
General Status Rank
Rank: 
Undetermined
Status Rank Description: 
Confirmed present based on (B163); large distribution and more than 40 sites, possibly more as distribution seems continuous in Mackenzie, Liard and Nahanni watersheds. Population assessments inadequate; delineation and identification issues between this species and P. cylindraceum make some past work suspect. Suggest this should be uncertain to some extent.
S Rank: 
SU
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; Draft assessemt of Secure in 2009 based on new distribution information (B163); Reviewed by DFO in 2015, no change; Reviewed by DFO in 2020, modified from secure to undetermined, error correction.
Last Updated: 
January 27, 2021

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

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
  • 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

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

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

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

Number of Occurrences

  • 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
  • Percy, R., Smiley, B, Mullen, T. (1985) Fishes, Invertebrates and Marine Plants: The Beaufort Sea and the Search for Oil. Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans RWED Library - QL 626.5 - BSC4 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

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
  • 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

  • Fish Base (1999) FishBase 99. http://www.cgiar.org/iclarm/fishbase/ - W012 Return