Description
Appearance
- Mountain whitefish have large scales, no spots and small mouths with no teeth.
- The general body colour is a bronze-white or greenish white.
Distribution
- Mountain whitefish are native to most of the waters of western Alberta. In Alberta, this fish is often called Rocky Mountain whitefish.
- They move in large groups or schools from pool to pool. Adult mountain whitefish undertake spawning migrations in the fall and feeding migrations in the spring.
Natural History
Habitat
- These fish are more adaptable in their environmental requirements than other cold-water sport fishes. They have maintained large populations in many streams.
- Large hydroelectric reservoirs often provide suitable habitat for these fish, and large populations are often present.
Food
- Mountain whitefish feed primarily on bottom-dwelling aquatic insects, but will also feed on terrestrial insects on the surface, or even on other smaller fish and fish eggs.
Reproduction and Growth
Breeding Behaviour
- Mountain whitefish feed primarily on bottom-dwelling aquatic insects, but will also feed on terrestrial insects on the surface, or even on other smaller fish and fish eggs.
- No nest is built. Eggs and milt (milky secretion of male sperm cells) are deposited directly on the bottom material.
- Eggs hatch in early to mid-March.
Conservation and Management
Status
Mountain whitefish are classified as Secure in the current General Status of Alberta Wild Species report:
Current management
Fishing
Mountain whitefish are cold-water game fish subject to current Alberta sportfishing regulations. For details, see the My Wild Alberta website at:
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