Arctic Char Population Estimates from Halokvik River Weir Enumerations

1967 Arctic Char were enumerated in 2013, while 14,502 were counted in 2014 using a commercial weir. Capture-mark-recapture methods estimated the population of fish ≥450mm at 35,546 in 2013 and 48,377 in 2014, providing the first such estimates for the Cambridge Bay region. The data supports sustainable fishery management by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Use Cases

• Compare annual weir enumeration counts (e.g., 1967 vs. 14,502) to assess inter-annual variability in Arctic Char runs.
• Analyze capture-mark-recapture population estimates (e.g., 35,546, 48,377) and their 95% confidence intervals to model stock abundance.
• Investigate the relationship between daily mean water temperature and daily fish counts to understand environmental influences on migration.
• Use length measurements (fish ≥450mm) to segment population estimates and analyze size structure within the stock.

Strengths

• Provides two years of empirical enumeration data (2013: 1,967 fish; 2014: 14,502 fish).
• Includes capture-mark-recapture population estimates with 95% confidence intervals for both study years.
• Represents the first population size estimates for an Arctic Char stock in the Cambridge Bay region using CMR methodology.

Limitations

• The dataset covers only two years (2013, 2014), limiting analysis of long-term population trends.
• A marked difference in weir design between years introduces a potential confounding variable in the enumeration counts.
• Population estimates are specifically for fish ≥450mm in length, excluding smaller individuals from the analysis.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Weir enumeration and capture-mark-recapture (CMR) methods using T-bar anchor tags on a subset of the run.

Time Range

2013, 2014

Freshness

Data was collected in 2013 and 2014; metadata was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Halokvik River, near Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada