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 Lake
Herring-Cisco is the common name for several species of fish in the
subfamily Coregonus of the salmon family (Salmonidae). This includes the
cisco (Coregonus artedii), the deepwater cisco (Coregonus
johannae), the blackfin cisco (Coregonus nigripinnis), the
shortjaw cisco (Coregonus zenithicus), the shortnose cisco (Coregonus
reighardi), the longjaw cisco (Coregonus alpenae), the
Nipigon cisco (Coregonus nipigon), the least cisco (Coregonus
sardinella), the Bering cisco (Coregonus laurettae), the
arctic cisco (Coregonus autumnalis) and the Bonneville cisco. The
least, Bering and arctic cisco are anadromous, moving between salt water
and fresh water. The longjaw and deepwater species may be extinct while
the shortjaw and blackfin are endangeredThe Lake Herring (cisco) generally grows to be 15-25 cm in length. It is easily recognised as a slender, silvery fish that is found in coldwater lakes throughout Northern North America. They are preyed upon by game fish like pike and lake trout and are also fished commercially. Commercial fishing, salmon stocking and competition from non-native alewives and smelt have almost eliminated cisco from the Great Lakes. The cisco itself feeds on zooplankton, which consist of tiny crustaceans. In doing so, this species serves as a crucial food chain link between the zooplankton and the sport fish that end up on the dinner table. It is related to the lake whitefish.
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