Selawik National Wildlife Refuge provides habitat for many species of fish and supports major fisheries of local and statewide importance. The Selawik and Kobuk rivers, the two primary river systems in the refuge, support large populations of anadromous fishes (those which move between saltwater and freshwater) as well as resident fishes (which stay in freshwater).

Learn more about a few of the area's fish from a local I帽upiaq perspective on the Service's podcast "Fish of the Week!"

  •  (also check out featuring our Fish Biologist Bill Carter)

The following list includes fish species currently known to exist on or near Selawik Refuge. Abundance varies widely. The I帽upiaq names included are the most common in northwest Alaska, but there are many local and regional variations of these names.

Common Name / Species / I帽upiaq Name

  • Broad whitefish / Coregonus nasus / Qausri岣uk, Siyyuilaq
  • Humpback whitefish / Coregonus pidschian / Qaal摹iq, Ikkuiyiq
  • Least cisco / Coregonus sardinella / Qalusraaq, A艐uutituuq, Qalutchiaq
  • Round whitefish / Prosopium cylindraceum / Quptik
  • Sheefish (inconnu) / Stenodus leucichthys / Sii
  • Chinook salmon / Oncorhynchus tshawytscha / Qaluaqpuk, Iqalusugruk
  • Chum salmon / Oncorhynchus keta / Qalugruaq
  • Coho salmon / Oncorhynchus kisutch / Qalugruaq
  • Pink salmon / Oncorhynchus gorbuscha / Amaqtuq
  • Sockeye salmon / Oncorhynchus nerka / Qalugruaq
  • Dolly Varden / Salvelinus malma / Qalukpik, Aqalukpik
  • Arctic grayling / Thymallus arcticus / Sulukpaugaq
  • Northern pike / Esox lucius / Siulik
  • Burbot / Lota lota / Tittaaliq, Tiktaaliq
  • Alaska blackfish / Dallia pectoralis / I艂耻耻辩颈帽颈辩
  • Longnose sucker / Catostomus catostomus / Kaviqsuaq, Milugiaq
  • Pacific herring / Clupea pallasii / Uqsruqtuuq
  • Coastrange sculpin / Cottus aleuticus / Kanayuq
  • Slimy sculpin / Cottus cognatus / Kanayuq
  • Ninespine stickleback / Pungitius pungitius / Kaki岣丰阜asak
  • Capelin / Mallotus villosus / Pa艐magraq
  • Pond smelt / Hypomesus olidus / I艂hua摹niq
  • Rainbow smelt / Osmerus mordax / I艂hua摹niq
  • Arctic lamprey / Lampetra camtschatica