Priority Species | Fish | Arctic char
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Latin name: Salvelinus alpines
Family: Salmonidae
Description of the Arctic char
The arctic char is a cousin of the salmon and trout, and displays characteristics of both. It can be both a freshwater and seawater fish, but in Ireland and Scotland where it is predominantly found in the British Isles, it is solely freshwater.
Visually chars resemble the brown trout, but unlike the trout they have pale spots on a dark background, and often have tinged green or blue flanks. During the spawning period, the males often turn a deep red/orange colour to attract a mate.
Size
On average the char is between 2 - 5 lbs weight, but has been recorded at up to 9lbs.
Historical Info
Arctic char were the first fish to re-enter Scottish and Irish waters after the end of the last ice age, and have been relatively unmanaged and undisturbed since then. This isolation has led to some varying subspecies developing, sometimes even with two different subspecies living together in the same lough.
In 1992 it was estimated that there were approximately 175 populations in Scotland, 12 in England and 4 in Wales. Throughout Ireland the Arctic Char was once common, but now approximately one third of the population here is thought to be extinct, with the fate of another 21 populations unknown.
The Arctic char's Habitat
The char in Great Britain prefers cold, deep northern lakes, with most of the strongholds being in the Scottish highlands. In Northern Ireland Lough Melvin is the only lake where Arctic char are currently known to occur, although they are present in many lakes throughout the Republic from Donegal to Kerry. Since they live in deep water they are rarely seen and rarely caught by anglers, except in the autumn time in Donegal’s Lough Eske.
Diet
Mainly plankton, deep-water pea mussels and midge larvae; they seldom specialise on fish prey.
Threats to the Arctic char
- Reduction in water quality due to agricultural and domestic pollution, for example due to eutrophication (where lakes and streams are enriched by nutrients (usually phosphorus and nitrogen) leading to excessive plant growth and lack of oxygen). Arctic char require clean, cold water, so Eutrophication has a devastating impact on them.
- Climate change – arctic char are extremely sensitive to habitat change, and as such are at high risk of changes due to global warming.
- Introduction of invasive species such as pike and roach have impacted the char populations in Ireland, and are a particular threat at spawning time as the char come into shallower water to spawn.
