Name
- Common name: Least Cisco
- Scientific name: Coregonus sardinella
- Order: Salmoniformes
- Subfamily: Coregoninae
- Indigenous names for this species may be available through the Yukon Native Language Centre.
Also known as
Cisco, Lake Herring
Description
- Elongated, slender body; slight lateral compression
- Blueish olive back fading to silvery sides and white belly
- No teeth except small cluster near tongue
- Large scales and large eyes
- Lower jaw projects beyond tip of upper jaw
Fast facts
- Length: 10 to 20 centimetres
- Weight: 50 to 200 grams
- Habitat: Freshwater and anadromous
Conservation status
- Yukon: S4 (Apparently Secure)
- Global: G5 (Secure)
Yukon population estimate
Not determined.
Behaviour
The Least Cisco occupies the fresh and brackish water of lakes, rivers, estuaries and coastal waters. It resembles a saltwater herring, earning it the common nickname “Lake Herring." It spawns in fall and early winter in shallow, turbid water over gravel. A jumbo form is found in some Yukon lakes, reaching 40 centimetres.
Diet
Aquatic insects, molluscs, crustaceans and small fish
Distribution
Least Cisco and people
- In the past, large numbers of Least Cisco in the Southern Lakes area were caught for use as animal feed by fur farmers.
- Currently, Least Cisco are commonly caught for use as bait by anglers seeking Lake Trout.