Climate Change Risks to Freshwater Subsistence Fisheries in Arctic Alaska: Insights and Uncertainty from Broad Whitefish <i>Coregonus nasus</i>

Arctic freshwater ecosystems and fish populations are largely shaped by seasonal long-term watershed hydrology. In this paper, we hypothesize how changing air temperature precipitation will alter freeze thaw processes, hydrology, instream habitat to assess potential indirect effects, such as the change foraging behavioral ecology, on fishes, using Broad Whitefish Coregonus nasus an indicator species. Climate is expected continue hydrologic pathways, flow regimes and, therefore, suitability, connectivity, availability for fishes. Warming lengthening of growing season likely increase growth rates; however, exceedance threshold stream temperatures physiological stress life histories. We expect these changes have mixed effects subsistence fishes fisheries. Long-term uncertain, so filling scientific knowledge gaps, identifying important habitats or increasing abiotic variables in priority watersheds, key understanding potentially mitigating impacts a rapidly landscape.