AN INTENSIVE STUDY OF THE FISH FAUNA OF THE MUSKEG RIVER WATERSHED OF NORTHEASTERN ALBERTA by W.A. BOND and K. MACHNIAK Environment Canada Freshwater Institute Winnipeg, Manitoba for ALBERTA OIL SANDS ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH PROGRAM Project AF 4.5.1 July 1979 ix TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DECLARATION •••••••..•.••••.•.....•••••..••..•.•.•.•••....••• ii LETT ER 0 F TRA NS MITT AL ••.•.••..••.•••••••.••.•••...•••.•...•• iii DES CRIP T I VE SUMMA RY .•••••.••..••.•••.•.•..•••.••..•••..•••.• i v LIST OF TABLES .••.•••.••.•••......•..•.•••.••...•...•...••.• xiii LIST OF FIGURES .•••.•••••.••••...•••.•••.••••••••••••••.•••• xv i i ABSTRACT ••••••••••••.•••••••.•.•.•.••..•••••.••.••..•••••••. x i x AC KNOWLEDGEMENTS •••••••.••...••••.••••..•.••••..•..••..•.••• xx i 1 . I NTRODUCT I ON •.•.•..••••••..••..•.•••.••••••••.••.. 2. R~SUM€ OF CURRENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE •• '! •••••••••• 4 3. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREA .•.••••.•••••.•••••..•.•• 6 4. MATERIALS AND METHODS •.•••.•••••••••••••.•.• 0 ••••• 17 4. 1 Counting Fence Construction •.••••.••••••••.•..••.• 17 4.2 Counting Fence Operation "0' •••••••••••••••••••••• 17 4.2. 1 Samp 1 i ng Schedu 1e ••.•...•••.•.•••..••••.•..••.. 19 4.2.2 Trap Checks ............ ,......................... 19 4.2.3 Tagging ••••..••.•••.•...•.••..••••••..••.•••••. 19 4.2.4 Dead Samples ••.••••.••••.•••••••••••..••.•.•... 21 4 .. 3 Other Fish Collection Techniques ••••.•.•••••••••. 22 4.3. 1 Small Fish Collection Sites •..••.••.••••...•.•. 22 4.4 Laboratory Techniques .••••••.••.•••..•....•..•.••. 23 4.4. 1 Fish Identification and Measurement •••...•••.•• 23 4.4.2 Age Determination •••••••••••.••••.••• , •.•.•••.• 23 4.4.3 Fecundity ........................................ 25 4.4.4 F00 d Ha bit s ...................................... 2 5 4.4.5 Data Analysis •.••.•••.•.•...•••.••.•••••••••••• 25 4.5 Aquatic Habitat Analysis ••.•••••••••••.••••...•••• 26 4.5. 1 Reach Definition and Description •••••.••••.•••• 26 4.5.2 Point Samples .•.•..••••••.••••••••.••••••..•••• 26 4.5.3 Mapping Procedures •••..•.•..••••••••..•••.••••. 27 4.6 Limitations of Methods ••••.•..•.••••.••••.••..•••. 27 5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION •.••..•••..•.•.•..•••••.•••• 30 5. 1 Fish Fauna of the Muskeg River .•.•••••.••••..••.•. 30 5.2 Relative Abundance and Distribution •••.••..••••••• 32 5.3 Tagging Results ••.••.•.••...•..• ~ ••..••.••....•••• 35 5.3. 1 Tag Re I eases and Recaptures ••.••.•••.•.•••. , ••• 35 5.3.2 Movement of Tagged Fish ........................ 35 5.3.2.1 Wh i te suckers ................................... 37 x TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Page 5.3.2.2 Longnose Suckers •.......•........•.•.•.•..•.•. 38 5.3.2.3 Northern Pike .•........••.•...•.••..•.•...••.• 39 5.3.2.4 Arctic Grayl ing ....••....•...••.•..•..••....•• 39 5.2 Life Histories of Fish Species •.....•....••••.•.. 39 5.4. 1 Wh i te S ucke rs •.••.•...•...•.....•.••..•.... .. 39 5.4.1.1 Seasonal Timing of Upstream Mi9ration ..•....•. 39 5.4.1.2 Diel Timing of Upstream Migration •....••....•. 40 5.4.1.3 Spawning Period .•.•.••..••.•.••.....•......•.• 40 5.4.1.4 Spawn i n g Area s .•..•..•..••..•..•.•••.•..••.... 46 5.4.1.5 Length of Time Spent in the Muskeg River ..•... 46 5.4.1.6 Seasonal and Diel Timing of Downstream Migration ..••...•••.••.•.••.•.•.•....•...•... 47 5.4.1.7 Spawning Mortality .•..•.•.••.••....•.••.•.•.•. 47 5.4.1.8 Size Composition of Migrant White Suckers •.... 49 5.4.1.9 Age Composition of Migrant White Suckers •.•.•. 53 5.4.1.10 Sex Ratio of Migrant White Suckers .••••.••..•. 53 5.4.1.11 Homing of White Suckers ......••.•.•..•••...... 57 5.4.1.12 Fecund i ty .....•....•..•••..••.•..•.....•..•••. 57 5.4.1.13 Age and Growth ..•...•..•.....•.•.•......•..... 58 5.4.1.14 Sex and Ma t uri t y •...•...•....•....•.•.••.•.... 63 5.4.1.15 Length-Weight Relationship.; ..•............... 65 5.4.1.16 Growth of Young-of-the-Year .........•......•.. 65 5.4.1.17 Food Ha bit s ...............•..........•........ 66 5.4.1.18 Rea r i n g Area .•........•......•....•........... 66 5.4.1.19 ov e rw i n t e r i n g ...•.•...........•........•.....• 66 5.4.2 Longnose Suckers ..........•.......•.....•.•..• 69 5.4.2.1 Seasonal Timing of Upstream Migration .....•... 69 5.4.2.2 Diel Timing of Upstream Migration ......•..•..• 69 5.4.2.3 Spawn i ng Per iod .••.....•..•......•.......••..• 72 5.4.2.4 Spawn i ng Areas ...•..•.•....••••.•..••.•....... 72 5.4.2.5 Length of Time Spent in Muskeg River .........• 73 5.4.2.6 Seasonal and Diel Timing of Downstream Migration ....•........•...••....•..•..•....•.. 73 5.4.2.7 Spawning Mortality ••...........••.•.•..•.•.... 73 5.4.2.8 Size Composition of Migrant Longnose Suckers .. 75 5.4.2.9 Age Composition of Migrant Longnose Suckers ..• 75 5.4.2.10 Sex Ratio of Migrant Longnose Suckers , •...••.• 75 5.4.2.11 Homing of Longnose Suckers ......•.....•.....•• 80 5.4.2. 12 Fecundity •...•.••.....•..•...•.••.•...•••••••• 80 5.4.2.13 Age and Grow t h ..•.•..•....•••...•....••...•.•. 82 5.4.2. 14 Sex and Ma t uri t y .•••...••. ••...•....•••.•.••.• 86 5.4.2.15 Length-Weight Relationship ......•.•...•..••... 86 5.4.2.16 Growth of Young-of-the-Year ••.•.•••..•........ 88 5.4.2.17 Food Hab i ts ......•...•..•...••••..•.•.•.•..... 88 5.4.2.18 Rearing Areas ....•....•.••••.••.•...•.•••....• 89 5.4.2.19 Overwintering ••.•....•.•..•.••••••..•.•...•.•. 89 5.4.3 Arctic Gray1 ing ....••.••.••..•••.••••.•.••..• 89 5.4.3.1 Spr i ng Movements .•••..•..•..••••••••.•...•.••• 89 xi i TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONCLUDED) Page 5.4.8.6 Food Ha b j t s .•.•••••••.•••••••.••.••• ,......... 133 5.4.9 S 1 i my Sc u 1pin •.•..•••.••••.•.•••...••.•.•.•••• 13 3 5.4.9.1 Distribution and Relative Abundance ........... 133 5.4.9.2 Age and Growth .••..•.•.••.•.••••.•.....••.•••• 133 5.4.9.3 Sex and Ma t uri t y ..••..••..•.•....•.•.••••• 0 • •• 133 5.4.9.4 Length-Weight Relationship '0 •••••••••••••••••• 135 5.4.9.5 S paw n i n g ••.•••.••••.•..•.••..•...••.•.•.••...• 1 35 5.4.9.6 Food Habits ..•.•.••.•..•.••••.••••......•..... 135 5.4.10 Longnose Dace .•.••••.•••••..•.•..•••.••.•.••.. 136 5.4.10.1 Distribution and Relative Abundance ........... 136 5.4.10.2 Age and Growth •.••...•.•.•.•.•..•.••••.•.•.••. 136 5.4.10.3 Sex and Ma t uri t y .•...........•.•..•.••. 0 • • • • •• 136 5.4.10.4 Length-Weight Relationship •••.••••..•••.•••••• 136 5.4.10.5 Spawn i n g ••••.••••••..•...••••.••...••••.•.•••• 1 36 5.4.10.6 Food Ha bit s •.••.••. ,.......................... 138 5.4.11 Other .Small Fish Species ••••.•..•.•.•...•.•..• 138 5.4.11.1 Pearl Dace •...••.•.••.•••....•..•••.•..•••.••. 138 5.4.11.2 Trout-Perch .••..•..••••••.•.••....••••....•••. 138 5.4.11.3 Ninespine Stickleback ••..••••••••..•.••....•.• 139 5.4.11.4 Fathead Mi nno\tJ •. 0 ••••••••••••••• 0 •••••••• o •••• 139 5.4.11.5 Spottail Shiner ••••.••....•......•.. , ••.....•. 140 5.5 Habit8t /'\nalysis ................................ 140 5.5. 1 ttuskeg ftiver t1ainstem ..••..••.....•..•.•.....• lifO 5.5.1. 1 Reach 1M •..•....•...••.•.••••..•••••.•.•..•..• 14() 5.5.1.2 Reach 2M •.•....••.••....•••..•.••••••.••.•..•• 149 5.5.1.3 Reach 3M .•••..••.•••••.•••••.•.•.•.•..•.••.•.• 151 5.5.1.4 Reach 4M •.•••• ,............................... "153 5.5.1.5 Reach 5M •.•••.••••••.•..•..•.••••....•..•••••• 154 5.5.2 Ha rt 1ey Creek and Kea r 1 Creek ••.•.•..••••••••• 155 5.5.2.1 Rea c h 1 H •.••.••.•.•..•••••..••...•.••••••••.•• 155 5.5.2.2 Reaches 2H, 3H, and 4H ••••••••••.•••....•.•.•. 158 5.5.2.3 Reach 5H ••••••.•.••.••.•••••..••.•••••••.•.••• 159 5.5.2.4 Kea r 1 Cree k ...••.••••....•••.•••••.•.••.•.•.•. 159 6. CONCLUSiONS •..•••••••.•.•••••••...••.••..•.••••.• 161 7. REFERENCES CITED ................................. 164 8. APPENDICES 172 8. 1 Maximum and Minimum Daily Water Temperatures Recorded at the Muskeg River Counting Fence, 1977 •••••••••.••••••••.•.•.•..•••.••••••••••••••• 172 8.2 Dates of Tagging and Recapture, Location of Recapture, Distances Travelled, and Elapsed Time Between Release and Recapture for Fish Tagged at the Muskeg River Counting Fence in 1976 and 1977, and Subsequently Recaptured Outside the Muskeg Watershed in 1977 and 1978 ....................... 174 9. LIST OF AOSERP RESEARCH REPORTS 178 xi TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Page 5.4.3.2 Size of Migrant Grayling ••••••••••••••.••••••• 90 5.4.3.3 Spawning .••.••• 0" 0 •••••••••• 0 •••••••••••••••• 93 5.4.3.4 Summer Residence of Arctic Grayl ing •••.••••••• 94 5.4.3.5 Age and Growth ..••••••.••••.•.••.•••.• 0 ••••••• 95 5.3.4.6 Length-Weight Relationship •.••••••.••••••.•••• 99 5.3.4.7 Sex and Matur i ty .•••••••••••••••.••••••••••••. 99 5.3.4.8 Fecund i ty ..•.••.•••••...••••.•.••.••••••.••.•• 99 5.3.4.9 Food Hab its ...•.•..••••••.••.••••••.••••••.••• 100 5.4.3.10 Rea r i n g A rea s 102 5.3.4.11 Overwintering .................................... 102 5.4.4 Northern Pike 103 5.4.4.1 Movements and Distribution .••••.•.•.•.•••••••. 103 5.4.4.2 Spawn i ng •..•.•..•••.••••..•••••••••••.••••.•.• 105 5.4.4.3 Length-Frequency Distribution ••••••••••••••••• 106 5.4.4.4 Age and Grow t h ••...••...••.•••••.•• •••••.••••• 106 5.4.4.5 Length-Weight Relationship •••••••••..••••••••• 11 1 5.4.4.6 Sex and Maturity .•..•..•.•.••.•.•.••.••••••••• 11 1 5.4.4.7 Fecund i ty , .•••.•.••.•..•.•.•.•.•.••••.•.•.•••• 11 1 5.4.4.8 Food Habits ..•...••..•......•••.••••••••..•.•.• 113 5.4.4.9 Rearing and Overwintering .•••••••••••••.••.••• 11 3 5.4.5 Moun ta i n \~h i tef ish .•....•.••.••..••.••.••.••.• 115 5.4.5.1 Spring Movements and Distribution .••.•...•...• 115 5.4.5.2 Spav"ning ..•.•.....•.•.•...••.•••••••••••••••.. 116 5.4.5.3 Length-Frequency Distribution ••.•••••••.•.•.••