Canada country information

Common names: Candlefish, Eulachon, Eulachon
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: common (usually seen) | Ref: Clemens, W.A. and G.V. Wilby, 1961
Importance: minor commercial | Ref: Coker, G.A., C.B. Portt and C.K. Minns, 2001
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: restricted | Ref: Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 1995
Uses: gamefish: yes;
Comments: Known only from British Columbia and Alberta. A native fishery is existing (Ref. 52559); it has been utilized as food fish, cooking oil, a curative, and a candle (a wick may be inserted through the mouth of dried euchalon) (Ref. 1998). Highly esteemed food fish (Ref. 6885). Also Ref. 1998, 4925, 6793, 52559, 95155.
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/ca.html
National Fisheries Authority: https://www.ncr.dfo.ca/home_e.htm
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Hart, J.L., 1973
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Osmeriformes (Smelts) > Osmeridae (Smelts)
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Eulakane, Candlefish, Eulakane, ... more

Main reference

Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S. Herald and H. Hammann. 1983. (Ref. 2850)
References | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 34.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 56527); common length : 20.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7354); max. reported age: 5 years (Ref. 12193)

Length at first maturity
L_m ?, range 15 - 16 cm

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; pelagic-neritic; anadromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 300 m (Ref. 6793)

Climate / Range

Temperate, preferred 7°C (Ref. 107945); 61°N - 36°N

Distribution

North Pacific: west of Saint Matthew Island and Kuskokwim Bay in the Bering Sea, and Bowers Bank in the Aleutian Islands to Monterey Bay, California, USA. Populations from northern British Columbia are separate from those in the Fraser River (Ref. 10276).
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-13; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 18 - 23; Vertebrae: 65 - 72. Distinguished by the large canine teeth on the vomer and 18 to 23 rays in the anal fin (Ref. 27547). Adipose fin sickle-shaped; paired fins longer in males than in females; all fins with well developed breeding tubercles in ripe males which are poorly developed or absent in females (Ref. 27547). Adult coloration is brown to blue on back and top of the head, the sides lighter to silvery white, and the ventral surface white; speckling is fine, sparse and restricted to the back; peritoneum is light with black speckles (Ref. 6885). Fins transparent, pectorals and caudal often dusky (Ref. 27547). During spawning, male fish has a distinctly raised ridge along the middle of the body and a rough texture, differentiating it from the female which is smaller, smoother and shinier.

Found near shore and in coastal inlets and rivers (Ref. 2850). Possibly to 625 m depth (Ref. 6793). Spends most of its life in the sea, returning to freshwater streams to spawn (Ref. 27547). There is evidence of return to natal streams (Ref. 10276). May migrate up to 160 km upstream. Feeds on plankton and only while at sea (11699, 10276). Excellent food fish and source of oil (15% body wt.). Anadromous (Ref. 96339).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Least Concern (LC)

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
Swim. type
Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
Vision

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD₅₀ = 1.0000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
3.3 ±0.37 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=2-6; tmax=5; K=0.34; Fec=17,000-60,000 Musick et al. 2000 (Ref. 36717))

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
Low to moderate vulnerability (33 of 100)

Price category (Ref. 80766)
Very high

Thaleichthys pacificus (Richardson, 1836)