SUMMARY

A total of 161 species, five subspecies and five special stocks of fishes have been documented in the Mixedwood Plains Ecozone. Of these fish taxa, 76.6% are native and 14 non-native species have established reproducing populations there. Approximately 18% of the species are classified as Vulnerable or Threatened.

A checklist of species is provided which includes native status, status assigned by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), occurrence in the Ontario and Québec portion of the Ecozone, and presence or absence in the four Ecoregions of the Ecozone.

A summary of the important taxonomic work and its adequacy in identifying the fishes of the Ecozone is provided. There is a discussion of human impacts on fishes in the Ecozone citing four Case Histories as examples. Suggestions are made for opportunities for ongoing assessment of fishes in the Ecozone, and three obstacles to effective management are discussed.

There is an extensive published literature to the changes in our knowledge of the fauna and its distribution in the Ecozone. A list of literature cited and suggested reading includes 259 references of historical and recent studies.

Table of Contents

• INTRODUCTION

• TAXONOMY OF THE FISHES

• DISTRIBUTION

• GLACIAL REFUGIA AND POSTGLACIAL REINVASION

• THE IMPORTANCE OF MONITORING

• HUMAN IMPACTS ON FISHES

• SUGGESTIONS FOR LOCATIONS OF ONGOING ASSESSMENT

• OBSTACLES TO EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS

• REFERENCES

• TAXON COSEWIC Status

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