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"Poisson inconnu"

"Poisson inconnu"-the unknown fish - is what voyageurs who explored the Northwest Territories with Alexander Mackenzie called a fish they had not encountered before. Thus a far northern fish received its name. In parts of the north, the name has since been corrupted to connie or coney. Northern Indians call it shees- hence its other common name, sheefish. Its scientific name, Stenodus leucichthys, means narrow-toothed whitefish.

Largest and fastest growing member of the whitefish family, the inconnu is a long fish with a large, wide mouth containing many small, densely packed teeth. Its body, somewhat salmonlike in conformation, is a silvery colour with darker shading over the back. Its scales, like those of the whitefish, are large and conspicuous. One fish weighing 28.5 kg and measuring 150 cm was caught at the mouth of the Mackenzie River in 1936. While individuals weighing from 9 to 14 kg are faily common, the average weight of this fish in the catch ranges from 3 to 5 kg.

In coastal areas, the inconnu is anadromous, ascending freshwater streams from the sea to spawn, but in inland lakes, such as Great Slave, it remains in fresh water throughout its life, migrating up tributary streams in summer and returning to the lake in late fall. It is on its downstream runs that it is most readily caught.

This fish is most abundant in large, muddy, northern rivers and associated lakes. In North America it is found in the Northwest and Yukon Territories and in Alaska. A similar species occurs in Siberia. The main North American fishery takes place in the Mackenzie River drainage basin, including the Slave and Liard Rivers and Great Slave Lake.

Before 1945, there was no commercial fishery for inconnu. Commercial fishermen, using gillnets, now catch it principally in Great Slave Lake. The Yukon River is said to offer good sport to anglers seeking it with troll and minnow.

The flesh of the inconnu is white, rather soft, and has a rich flavour. Due to its high oil content, it is ideal for smoking. Occasionally it is offered for sale fresh or frozen in headless, dressed form in major Canadian cities. However, the bulk of the commercial catch is exported to the United States for use in the smoked fish trade.

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Last updated: 2006-06-06

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