Relative abundance, spatial and temporal distribution, age and growth of fishes in Tuktoyaktuk Harbour, N.W.T., 28 June to 5 September, 1981

A study of the fish in Tuktoyaktuk Harbour, N.W.T., Canada was undertaken to provide additional baseline data prior to anticipated increases in industrial development within the harbor. Offshore areas were sampled with otter trawls and experimental gillnets at various depths. Inshore areas were sampled with experimental gillnets and trapnets. Twenty fish species were captured and included freshwater, marine and anadromous forms. Total numbers caught inshoe in both trapnets and gillnets, consisted predominantly of coregonids. In offshore gillnet catches, Pacific herring (Clupea harengus pallasi ) and rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax ) were predominant. Otter trawl catches were dominated by rainbow smelt, least cisco and Arctic cisco (C. autumnalis). Bottom otter trawls also captured large numbers of Zoarcids (eelpouts) and lumpenids (blennies).