Exploring the extensive movements and home range of one of North America’s most mobile fish: the freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens)

Abstract Freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens are a unique and ubiquitous freshwater species of the family Sciaenidae. Despite the species’ wide distribution and unique biogeography, life history, and behavior, surprisingly little is known about freshwater drum movement ecology. In this study, we use passive acoustic telemetry tags and a broad-scale gridded receiver array to track the interannual and seasonal movement of freshwater drum tagged in tributaries of the North and South Basins of Lake Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada). First, tagged freshwater drum had lower survival in the south basin where higher fishing pressure is thought to be a cause of mortality. We found that freshwater drum in Lake Winnipeg are remarkably mobile, with mean monthly movement rates among the highest on record for any freshwater fish. In the spring, fish entered rivers prior to spawning. A few weeks later, most individuals moved into lake habitat where they made extensive lateral movements. Home range and hotspot analysis revealed seasonal and population-specific patterns of occupancy, with elevated densities in lake habitat during the ice-on period and dispersed distributions during open water. Both populations remained almost exclusively in their respective rivers and basins. Homing and site fidelity were apparent, with nearly all fish returning to their original tagging river during each successive spawning season. The results bolster the existing information on freshwater drum movement ecology and may help enhance conservation and management strategies, particularly toward addressing commercial bycatch.