Ecology and Life-History of Blackfin Cisco (Coregonus nigripinnis) in Northern Algonquin Park

Blackfin Cisco, a species endemic to the Laurentian Great Lakes region, was driven to extinction by introduced species and overfishing in the early twentieth century. They are ranked extinct on the IUCN Red List.  Blackfin Cisco were discovered in four lakes during fish community surveys conducted in northern Algonquin Park. The lakes are situated in a drainage outflow of glacial Lake Algonquin within an elevation threshold associated with Mysis diluviana inundation.  Blackfin Cisco display an elevated gill raker count (50-66) as well as a preference for feeding on Mysis diluviana which distinguish it from other coregonines in Algonquin Park. Shape patterns among Blackfin populations will be compared through morphometric analysis of truss configurations.  Blackfin cisco habitat will be described based on non-linear models of covariates such as temperature and dissolved oxygen using quasi-poisson and AIC rankings.  Life history including age, growth and survival will be examined from sectioned sagittal otoliths and used in a biphasic Von Bertalanffy growth model.  Preliminary analysis indicates that Blackfin Cisco reach maximum ages of 18-28 years and occupy depths of 15-30 m. Findings from our research are important since very little is known about Blackfin Cisco life history and ecology.