Distinct patterns of movement in monthly space use across Lake Winnipeg by a population of south basin walleye

Lake Winnipeg hosts North America’s second largest commercial fishery for walleye ( Sander vitreus (Mitchill, 1818)); however, little is currently known regarding walleye distribution throughout the lake. Here we identify two movement strategies for adult female walleye (migrant and resident) and describe patterns in monthly space use over 2 years. We used permissible home range estimators to determine monthly home range (95%), core range (50%), and associated mean locations. Mean locations showed that migratory walleye occupied more northern regions of the lake during late summer into fall (August and September) and were more southern during winter (November to March) and spring (April to June), overlapping residents. Migrants exhibited larger ranges during June, July, and October and shared similar ranges to residents when found at similar latitudes. Putative repeat spawning within the Red River was marginally more frequent among migrants compared to residents. This study describes two movement strategies of walleye within the south basin of Lake Winnipeg, possibly arising from multiple factors including water clarity, prey density, and temperature gradients. Results presented here provide information on the timing of movement and the spatial distribution of fish, which may be incorporated into a spatiotemporal based approach for fisheries management and stock assessment.