The food of Charr,*Salvelinus willughbii (Günther), in Windermere

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Abstract
The stomach contents of 1015 charr, (Salvelinus willughbii Günther)] from Windermere, of which 658 were feeding fish, were examined. The fish were caught over a period of several years and in every month of the year. The data were analysed by two methods, by a points system, which takes into account the abundance and volume of the food organisms, and by the frequency of occurrence of each organism. Charr of all sizes had fed mainly on planktonic Crustacea (particularly Cladocera); larval and pupal chironomids and Chaoborus were also important. From November to April most stomachs of charr netted on the spawning grounds contained charr eggs. The diet of charr is compared with that of seven other fish species in Windermere. There was almost no overlap between the food of charr, which was obtained in the pelagic region, and that of the seven other species, which was mostly bottom fauna, obtained from the littoral region. Thus by occupation of these two different niches the charr and the seven other fish in no way compete for food in Windermere. Some limited data from six other lakes in the English Lake District are presented, in these planktonic Crustacea are also found to be the main food.