Blackfin cisco
Encyclopedia
The blackfin cisco is a North American salmonid fish in the freshwater whitefish sub-family Coregoninae. This silvery, deep-bodied fish with black fins
, large eyes, a blunt snout
and a terminal mouth, is one of the largest species of ciscoes
. The blackfin cisco used to inhabit the Great Lakes
of North America until recently, but has been reported to have gone extinct.
in 1969 and in Lake Huron
in 1960. The latest was seen in 2006 in Long Lake near Thunder Bay
. Various sources state that the blackfin cisco is still occasionally sighted in Lake Nipigon
in northern Ontario
, and the status of the species in Canada and Ontario is still under review. However, the IUCN Red List
lists it as extinct.
and predation from the invading sea lamprey
. The introduced alewife
(Alosa pseudoharengus) and rainbow smelt
(Osmerus mordax) are also aggressive predators of juveniles. Blackfin ciscoes were commercially fished until the early 1900s when declining stocks made the fishery uneconomic. Current threats to the only remaining population include commercial fishing, predation by rainbow smelt and interbreeding with lake herring (Coregonus artedi).
FINS
FINS is a network protocol used by Omron PLCs, over different physical networks like Ethernet, Controller Link, DeviceNet and RS-232C....
, large eyes, a blunt snout
Snout
The snout, or muzzle, is the protruding portion of an animal's face, consisting of its nose, mouth, and jaw.-Terminology:The term "muzzle", used as a noun, can be ambiguous...
and a terminal mouth, is one of the largest species of ciscoes
Cisco (fish)
The ciscoes are salmonid fish of the genus Coregonus that differ from other members of the genus in having upper and lower jaws of approximately equal length and high gillraker counts...
. The blackfin cisco used to inhabit the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
of North America until recently, but has been reported to have gone extinct.
Description
It is a dark silvery color, with a dark green to black back, and pink or purple on the sides; the outer half of the fins is black. Blackfin ciscoes measure up to 510 mm (21 inches in length). Its preferred habitat is cold lakes at depths of up to 180 metres. The blackfin cisco was last seen in Lake MichiganLake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
in 1969 and in Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
in 1960. The latest was seen in 2006 in Long Lake near Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
. Various sources state that the blackfin cisco is still occasionally sighted in Lake Nipigon
Lake Nipigon
Lake Nipigon is the largest lake entirely within the boundaries of the Canadian province of Ontario . It is sometimes described as the sixth Great Lake. Lying 260 metres above sea level, the lake drains into the Nipigon River and thence into Nipigon Bay of Lake Superior...
in northern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and the status of the species in Canada and Ontario is still under review. However, the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
lists it as extinct.
Decline
The decline of the species has been largely caused by overfishingOverfishing
Overfishing occurs when fishing activities reduce fish stocks below an acceptable level. This can occur in any body of water from a pond to the oceans....
and predation from the invading sea lamprey
Sea lamprey
The sea lamprey is a parasitic lamprey found on the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America, in the western Mediterranean Sea, and in the Great Lakes. It is brown, gray, or black on its back and white or gray on the underside and can grow up to 90 cm long. Sea lampreys prey on a wide...
. The introduced alewife
Alewife
The alewife is a species of herring. There are anadromous and landlocked forms. The landlocked form is also called a sawbelly or mooneye...
(Alosa pseudoharengus) and rainbow smelt
Rainbow smelt
The rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, is an anadromous species of fish of the family Osmeridae. The distribution of Osmerus mordax is circumpolar. The rainbow smelt was introduced to the Great Lakes, and from there has made its way to various other places. Walleye, trout, and other larger fish prey on...
(Osmerus mordax) are also aggressive predators of juveniles. Blackfin ciscoes were commercially fished until the early 1900s when declining stocks made the fishery uneconomic. Current threats to the only remaining population include commercial fishing, predation by rainbow smelt and interbreeding with lake herring (Coregonus artedi).