Thirty native freshwater fish species are present in Newfoundland and Labrador’s waterways, plus two exotic species. Eighteen species are found in Newfoundland and 26 in Labrador.
- A new species, Log Perch, was found in southwestern Labrador (Grant 2001). Biologists believe there is much potential to find new species in areas yet not surveyed in southeastern and northern Labrador.
- Banded Killifish is the only freshwater species assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), being listed as a Species of Special Concern.
Highlights from the 2000 Freshwater Fish General Status Assessments
- No freshwater fish have been ranked as At Risk, or were designated May Be at Risk;
- Three out of 18 Newfoundland Species are considered Sensitive;
- Eight out of 26 Labrador species were considered Undetermined;
- 60% of native freshwater fish in Newfoundland are Secure, and 68% of Labrador Species are Secure.
^ Top of Page
2000 General Status of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Freshwater Fish
Family |
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Newfoundland |
Labrador |
Provincal |
Order: Acipenseriformes – Sturgeons |
Acipenseridae |
Atlantic Sturgeon |
Acipenser oxyrinchus |
|
Undetermined |
Undetermined |
Order: Anguilliformes- True Eels |
Anguillidae |
American Eel |
Anguilla rostrata |
Secure |
Secure |
Secure |
Order: Clupeiformes- Herrings & Allies |
Clupeidae |
Alewife |
Alosa pseudoharengus |
Secure |
Undetermined |
Secure |
American Shad |
|
Alosa sapidissima |
Secure |
Undetermined |
Secure |
Order: Cypriniformes- Minnows & Allies |
Castostomidae |
Longnose Sucker |
Catostomus catostomus |
|
Secure |
Secure |
White Sucker |
|
Catostomus commersoni |
|
Secure |
Listed as a Species of Special Concern by the Province |
Cyprinidae |
Lake Chub |
Couesius plumbeus |
|
Undetermined |
Undetermined |
Longnose Dace |
|
Rhinichthys cataractae |
|
Undetermined |
Undetermined |
Pearl Dace |
|
Semotilus margarita |
|
Undetermined |
Undetermined |
Order: Cyprinodontiformes- Killifishes |
Cyprinodontidae |
Banded Killifish |
Fundulus diaphanus |
Sensitive |
|
Sensitive |
Mummichog |
|
Fundulus heteroclitus |
Sensitive |
|
Sensitive |
Order: Gadiformes- Cods & Allies |
Gadidae |
Atlantic Tomcod |
Microgadus tomcod |
Secure |
Secure |
Secure |
Burbot |
|
Lota lota |
|
Secure |
Secure |
Order: Gasterosteiformes- Sticklebacks, Pipefishes & Allies |
Gasterosteidae |
Blackspotted Stickleback |
Gasterosteus wheatlandi |
Undetermined |
|
Undetermined |
Fourspine Stickleback |
|
Apeltes quadracus |
Undetermined |
|
Undetermined |
Ninespine Stickleback |
|
Pungitius pungitius |
Undetermined |
Secure |
Secure |
Threespine Stickleback |
|
Gasterosteus aculeatus |
Secure |
Secure |
Secure |
Order: Perciformes-Perches & Many Allies |
Percidae |
Logperch |
Percina caprodes |
|
Undetermined |
Undetermined |
Order: Petromyzontiformes- Lampreys |
Petromyzontidae |
Sea Lamprey |
Petromyzon marinus |
Sensitive |
Accidental |
Sensitive |
Order: Salmoniformes- Salmon & Allies |
Esocidae |
Northern Pike |
Esox lucius |
|
Secure |
Secure |
Osmeridae |
Rainbow Smelt |
Osmerus mordax |
Secure |
Secure |
Secure |
Salmonidae |
Arctic Char |
Salvelinus alpinus |
Secure |
Secure |
Secure |
Atlantic Salmon |
|
Salmo salar |
Secure |
Secure |
Secure |
Brook Trout |
|
Salvelinus fontinalis |
Secure |
Secure |
Secure |
Brown Trout |
|
Salmo trutta |
Exotic |
|
Exotic |
Lake Trout |
|
Salvelinus namaycush |
|
Secure |
Secure |
Lake Whitefish |
|
Coregonus clupeaformis |
Exotic |
Secure |
Secure |
Rainbow Trout |
|
Oncorhynchus myksis |
Exotic |
|
Exotic |
Round Whitefish |
|
Prosopium cylindraceum |
|
Secure |
Secure |
Order: Scorpaeniformes- Scorpionfishes & Allies |
Cottidae |
Fourhorn Sculpin |
Myoxocephalus quadricornis |
|
Undetermined |
Undetermined |
Mottled Sculpin |
|
Cottus bairdi |
|
Secure |
Secure |
Slimy Sculpin |
|
Cottus cognatus |
|
Secure |
Secure |
^ Top of Page
2000 General Status Ranks Summary for Newfoundland and Labrador Freshwater Fish
Family |
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Newfoundland |
Labrador |
Provincal |
Extinct/Extirpated |
0 |
0 |
0 |
At Risk |
0 |
0 |
0 |
May be at Risk |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Sensitive |
3 |
0 |
3 |
Secure |
9 |
17 |
19 |
Undetermined |
3 |
8 |
8 |
Not Assessed |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Exotic |
3 |
0 |
2 |
Accidental |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Grand Total |
18 |
26 |
32 |
^ Top of Page