Distribution and habitats of the Densely-Rakered Whitefish, Coregonus lavaretus (L.), in waterbodies of Karelia

• Main Authors: Denis Savosin, Olga Sterligova, Nikolay Ilmast
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences 2016-04-01
• Series: Transactions of the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences
• Subjects: republic of karelia; aquatic ecosystems; densely-rakered whitefish; ecological forms; population
• Online Access: http://journals.krc.karelia.ru/index.php/ecology/article/view/209

Data are presented about the current distribution and life modes of densely-rakered whitefish (with 42–65 gill rakers) in waterbodies of Karelia belonging to the drainage basins of the White Sea and the Baltic Seas and featuring different limnological characteristics and level of knowledge. At present densely-rakered whitefish inhabit 32 waterbodies in the republic. Differences in the timing of maturation, fecundity and growth rate were found. It is shown that the state of the whitefish population and the fish fauna in general depends on the scope and intensity of economic activities affecting the reservoirs, and on their size. The length-weight growth rates were higher in whitefish from remote, hard to reach waterbodies with limited human impact.