User:MakennaDoramus/Mountain Whitefish

Migration
Mountain whitefish are non-anadromous fish and spend the majority of their lives in freshwater ecosystems. Relatively little is know about the migration patterns of these fishes, but it is believed that they do migrate for spawning and because of temperature fluctuations. In the Methow River, a tributary to the Columbia River, mountain whitefish have been found migrating due to increases in shallower tributary water temperatures into the larger Columbia River. Mountain whitefish have also been known to spend the winter in the Columbia River which provides more suitable habitats for these fishes. Evidence shows that mountain whitefishes in the Methow River are returning annually to the same headwater tributaries, which indicates migration for the primary purpose of returning to birth streams to spawn – similar to other anadromous salmonid species.

Aging Fish
Historically, Mountain Whitefish are not popular game fish and have been thrown onto the banks when caught because they are 'trash fish.' Similar to other native salmonids, Mountain Whitefish have received backlash because anglers believe that they are competing for food and spawning resources for more popular introduced species, like Brook Trout (Idaho). Due to common misconceptions, some native Mountain Whitefish populations have been decimated by both management agencies and anglers alike. The health of Mountain Whitefish, like other salmonids, can be a predictor of the health of the environment that they live in, so understanding and maintaining their populations can be beneficial for ecosystem prosperity.

Conservation
To better understand the conservation and management needs of Mountain Whitefish we must understand life history strategies of these fishes. Understanding the growth, age structure, and age at maturity of these fish can better help management inform limitations on which fish can be kept and which should be released. If the age at which the fish matures is known, management agencies can estimate sizes of these fishes and inform anglers that no fish under this maturation size may be kept to ensure a new generation be born. Age of these fish can be determined by counting annuli (growth rings) in fish scales, pectoral fin rays, and otoliths (ear bones). Efficacy of these counting strategies can vary, but in combination they could provide vital data to ensure that Mountain Whitefish populations continue to stay at healthy levels.