WHAT DO NAMEWAK DO IN THE WINTER?

Winter keeps many of us busy with ice fishing, simmering soups and stews, and time with family and friends. But what are namewak doing beneath the ice? They certainly are not hibernating.

Using acoustic telemetry (see image below), with tags gently implanted by our team in some namewak, we can learn about their winter movements and the habitats they rely on during the coldest months.

How does acoustic telemetry work?

From namewak in the North French River, also known as Kah-pana-yow-sîpiy (river that widens) and Mehkipwâmeštik-sîpiy (red willow river), we learned how namewak use this river during the winter.

What we found is that namewak spend the winter in shallower water and are generally less active during this season. They tend to be at their shallowest and most active at night.

Namewak, like many other sturgeon, also gather in overwintering areas. These are important parts of rivers or lakes where fish wait out the winter beneath the ice, often in groups.

In the below image, you can explore what we learned from namewak in the North French River and see how their movements and behaviours change throughout the year.

Namewak movement & behaviour in the North French River — findings from our research!

Our research paper about namewak in the North French River is publicly available for download: https://www.int-res.com/articles/esr2024/54/n054p059.pdf