Shortnose Cisco
Coregonus reighardi
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortnose_cisco
Overview
The shortnose cisco is a North American freshwater whitefish in the salmon family Salmonidae. One of the members of the broader Coregonus artedi species complex of ciscoes, it is native to the Great Lakes of Canada and the United States. Its population has been declining and it has disappeared from some of its earlier haunts.
The last reported population was restricted to Georgian Bay off Lake Huron in Canada. It is thought that declines in the population of this fish may be linked with the arrival of the sea lamprey, in the Great Lakes. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated the conservation status of this fish as "critically endangered", and possibly extinct.
Coregonus reighardi faces severe threats from invasive species, particularly sea lamprey and alewife, which have disrupted the Great Lakes ecosystem. Overfishing and habitat degradation from pollution and eutrophication have further compromised remaining populations. Climate change is altering water temperatures and oxygen levels in the deep, cold waters this species requires for survival.
Habitat
This deepwater cisco inhabits the cold, deep waters of the Great Lakes, particularly Lakes Huron and Michigan. It typically occurs in depths of 55-110 meters where water temperatures remain consistently cold year-round.
Other threatened species in SALMONIDAE
Threatened in Canada
Frequently asked questions
Why is Shortnose Cisco classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Shortnose Cisco live?
What are the main threats to Shortnose Cisco?
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