Traditional knowledge and genetic discrimination of Lake Nipigon lake trout stocks (Salvelinus namaycush, Manitoba)

Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) stocks in Lake Nipigon were characterized by exploring the knowledge of Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek (Rocky Bay First Nation) fishers and examining sequence variation in regions of the cytochrome-b and d-loop genes of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Fishers directed sampling efforts by choosing four locations and predicted how many morphologically different stocks should be detected at each sampling site. Each sample was assigned to morphological category based upon fishers' descriptions. Haplotype frequency distribution would be examined among morphological categories to examine whether particular haplotypes were specific to a morphotype, and among sampling sites to determine to what extent stock structure could be inferred. The fishers' knowledge and the genetic results were compared to examine whether they were complementary.; Traditional knowledge was shared through interviews and direct participation as an apprenticing deckhand on commercial boats. Lake Nipigon fishers made a distinction among four sexually isolated stocks of lake trout. The stocks were morphologically different and were named ‘blacks’, ‘browns’, ‘silvers’ and ‘deep-water’. Fishers' predictions and genetic results were complementary. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...