Wildlife

Fish and Invertebrates

The abundance of seabirds and marine mammals that breed and raise their young on the lands of the Alaska Maritime Refuge is due to the banquet of marine foods in surrounding waters.

Linked by the Food Web

Although most of the waters that provide prey for refuge wildlife are not within the refuge, by establishment mandate the refuge is involved in the conservation of the marine resources upon which the seabirds and marine mammals rely.

Ocean Migrants

Some of the marine fishes are anadromous. They must return to freshwater to spawn the next generation after growing up faster and fatter in the ocean than they could have in streams or lakes. Salmon are a good example.

Freshwater Residents

On larger islands and on refuge lands along the coast, some of the streams and lakes also have freshwater fish populations that don’t migrate to the ocean.

Learn more

Marine Fish of the Aleutian Islands

Fish, Invertebrates, and Amphibian of the Alaska Maritime Refuge (list)

Cyber Salmon (background on the life history, migrations of salmon in Alaska)

Pacific Salmon Life Cycle (from Togiak Refuge)

Undersea Coral Gardens - Aleutian Islands (transcript of radio interview with scientists, includes multi-media links)

Last updated:September 8, 2008