The State of Char in the Arctic

C. D. Sawatzky and J. D. Reist

Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB

October 15, 2009
No new updates for 2010

Introduction

Arctic Char are the most northerly distributed freshwater fish species and occur in suitable habitats in all Arctic countries. They are widely distributed throughout the circumpolar north (Figure C1) from northernmost areas south to temperate regions (e.g., Switzerland, Italy) (Johnson 1980), with a latitudinal distribution of approximately 40°N to 84°N.

Figure C1. Global distribution of Arctic char and Dolly Varden.

The two most widely distributed groups are Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), a diverse primarily lake-adapted group (Figure C2), and Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma), primarily a river-adapted group (Figure C3). Both occur as anadromous (sea-run) and freshwater resident forms. They are important components of northern aquatic ecosystems and are economically (subsistence food, commercial and sport fisheries) and culturally significant to northern communities (Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna 2001), particularly in Canada. For example, Arctic char made up approximately 45% by number of the top 15 species harvested in Nunavut between 1996 and 2001 (Priest and Usher 2004). The majority of the Canadian commercial Arctic char catch is taken in Nunavut fisheries at Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay, Pelly Bay and Nettilling Lake (DFO 2006).

Figure C2. An example of morphological diversity in Arctic char on a regional scale; these fish were sampled from one lacustrine and one marine site in northern Labrador, Canada. Photo by Wendy Michaud.		Figure C3. Adult male anadromous Dolly Varden char in spawning condition captured in the Firth River, Yukon Territory, Canada. Photo by Jim Johnson.

Formal Status Assessments by Conservation Organizations

Several regional and/or national organizations conduct formal status assessments to conserve biodiversity; examples include the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN http://www.iucn.org/ ) based in Europe and Natureserve (http://www.natureserve.org/ ) based in North America. These are supplemented by formal assessment groups in many countries; e.g., in Canada the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC, http://www.cosewic.gc.ca/ ). All conduct assessments of various taxa (species or taxonomic units below species) according to established criteria and based upon the best available information. Summaries are shown in Figure C4 for IUCN assessments.

Figure C4. Percentages of European Char Taxa assessed at different levels of risk by IUCN criteria (http://www.iucn.org/; accessed 8 August 2009) for different regions. Note that there is much disagreement regarding the taxonomy used by IUCN, numbers of taxa are small, and assessments tend to be biased towards ‘stressed’ taxa. Colors indicate different groups of threat levels: gray – information lacking (DD = data deficient), green – assessed at minimal concern (LC = least concern, NT = near threatened), yellow – assessed at increased concern (VU = vulnerable), and, red – assessed at high concern (EN – endangered, CR – critically endangered, EX – extinct). Southern areas exhibit higher percentages of yellow and red threat groups.

Natureserve rankings are not plotted, and taxonomy is not comparable with that used by IUCN (i.e., North American species tend to represent multiple sub-specific taxa). For the five recognized species-level taxa in North America rankings are as follows:

• Southern (non-arctic) – three species are secure and one vulnerable (global rankings);
• Northern (Arctic) – one species is secure.

Natureserve rankings for sub-specific taxa (i.e., components of the above) provide additional understanding as follows:

• Within the continental USA, five of five distinct population groupings of bull char (S. confluentus, vulnerable as a species) rank as critically imperiled (n=1) or imperiled (n=4); assessment for 3-4 groups in Canada is underway;
• One southern taxon (S. alpinus oquassa) of the Arctic char complex is imperiled in southern Canada and northeastern United States (Natureserve = imperiled, COSEWIC = under assessment; northern Arctic char populations are secure);
• One southern taxon (S. fontinalis timageamensis) found in central Ontario of the brook char group is critically imperiled (Natureserve; COSEWIC = endangered);
• The southern taxon (S. malma lordi) of the Dolly Varden group is secure throughout its range (southern Alaska, British Columbia to Washington), and the northern taxon (S. malma malma) is secure throughout Alaska, however, it appears to be stressed in northwestern Arctic Canada (COSEWIC assessment underway; two of five anadromous populations stressed).

Conclusions

Virtually all stressors which are known to affect fish populations generally have been documented as affecting chars, a group which appears to be particularly susceptible to both local (e.g., exploitation) and pervasive (e.g., climate change) stressors as well as individual and cumulative effects of stressors. From the evidence presented above southern populations (or taxa) of chars, particularly the wider group related to Arctic char, appear to be at greater risk overall as evidenced by higher levels of conservation concern (i.e., more acute conservation status) and by greater percentage of extirpations particularly in Europe. Trends appear to be similar for North America. Two inescapable conclusions thus result: 1) southern populations of chars, particularly those isolated in lakes or requiring unperturbed river habitats, are at acute risk and given their probable evolutionary history represent an irreplaceable component of biodiversity of the Arctic char group; and, 2) southern populations are useful proxies of potential future effects and issues facing northern chars. Accordingly, appropriate care in addressing conservation, management, and stressors of both chars and their ecosystems is required particularly as wide-reaching changes occur throughout the north.

References

Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF). 2001. Arctic flora and fauna: status and conservation. Arctic Council Program for the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna, Helsinki, Finland. 272 p.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada [DFO]. 2006. Underwater World: Arctic char. 2 p. [available from: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/zone/underwater_sous-marin/omble/char-omble_e.htm; accessed 21 July 2008].

Johnson, L. 1980. The Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus. In: Charrs: Salmonid fishes of the genus Salvelinus. Edited by: E.K. Balon. Dr. W. Junk Publishers, The Hague, The Netherlands, p. 15–98.

Priest, H., and Usher, P.J. 2004. The Nunavut Wildlife Harvest Study, August 2004. Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, Iqaluit, NU. 814 p. + CD. [available from: http://www.nwmb.com/english/resources/publications.php; accessed: 24 July 2008].

Additional Resources

Selected Recent Publications on Trends in Canadian Populations of Arctic Char

Dempson, J.B., Shears, M., Furey, G., and Bloom, M. 2004. Review and status of north Labrador Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus. Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Research Document 2004/070: 46 p. [available from: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/284126.pdf; accessed: 24 July 2008].

DFO [Department of Fisheries and Oceans]. 2004a. Cambridge Bay Arctic char. Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Stock Status Report 2004/10: 15 p. [available from: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/284796.pdf; accessed: 24 July 2008].

Tallman, R. 2005. Stock assessment report on Kipisa Arctic char. Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Science Advisory Report 2005/028: 14 p. [available from: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/Csas/status/2005/SAR-AS2005_028_E.pdf; accessed: 24 July 2008].

Selected Recent Publications on Trends in Canadian Populations of Dolly Varden

DFO [Department of Fisheries and Oceans]. 2001. Rat River Dolly Varden. DFO Science Stock Status Report D5-61: 15 p. [available from: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/264842.pdf; accessed: 24 July 2008].

DFO [Department of Fisheries and Oceans]. 2002a. Babbage River Dolly Varden. DFO Science Stock Status Report D5-62: 12 p. [available from: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/Csas/status/2002/SSR2002_D5-62_e.pdf; accessed: 24 July 2008].

DFO [Department of Fisheries and Oceans]. 2002b. Big Fish River Dolly Varden. DFO Science Stock Status Report D5-60: 15 p. [available from: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/Csas/status/2002/SSR2002_D5-60_e.pdf; accessed: 24 July 2008].

DFO [Department of Fisheries and Oceans]. 2002c. Firth River Dolly Varden. DFO Science Stock Status Report D5-63: 12 p. [available from: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/Csas/status/2002/SSR2002_D5-63_e.pdf; accessed: 24 July 2008]

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