Coregonus vessicus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Coregonus vessicus faces severe threats from habitat degradation and water quality deterioration in its limited lake environment. Eutrophication from agricultural runoff and urban development has fundamentally altered the oligotrophic conditions this coldwater fish requires. Climate change compounds these pressures by warming water temperatures and reducing oxygen levels in deeper waters where the species typically feeds.
Habitat
This endemic whitefish inhabits the cold, deep waters of oligotrophic alpine lakes, typically found in oxygen-rich depths between 20-80 meters. The species requires pristine water conditions with low nutrient levels and stable thermal stratification characteristic of high-altitude lake ecosystems.
