Alaska Freshwater Fish Inventory homepage

Alaska's abundant, remote, and predominantly pristine freshwater fish habitats are largely unexplored and undocumented. To begin filling these vast information gaps, the Alaska Freshwater Fish Inventory compiles freshwater fish (anadromous and resident) observations collected from a variety of sources. Most observations come from Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) fish and aquatic habitat inventories of specific areas or regions. Additional reports come from other agencies, consulting firms, Non-governmental organizations, and individuals. Recent ADF&G inventories are designed to identify all fish species occurring at sampled locations; other projects may have recorded only selected species. Even where efforts were made to identify all species present at the time of sampling, other species may occupy sampled waters at other times.

This data set is not designed for use as a primary regulatory tool, but may be used as a reference source. The Anadromous Waters Catalog (AWC) is the regulatory tool established by statute (AS 41.14.870(a)) to specify the various rivers, lakes and streams of the Alaska are important to the spawning, rearing, or migration of anadromous fishes.

Information presented in the Alaska Freshwater Fish Inventory is public and may be interpreted by organizations or individuals based on needs, but each user is responsible for the appropriate application. These data are intended for planning purposes: while they represent the best available observations, they do not eliminate the need for detailed study of specific sites intended for intensive uses. The data set is periodically updated as additional information becomes available.

The ADF&G cannot assure the accuracy of all reported data such as species identification. In general, voucher specimens are not retained for positive identification. Before observations are added to the data set, however, we do carefully review submitted observations and screen for anomalous records.

By providing more complete and more accessible fish community and habitat information, we will help our own agency, as well as other federal, state, and local resource agencies and the public better implement their respective fish habitat conservation, land use planning, and research missions and goals.

This project was made possible, in part, by funding from the Coastal Impact Assistance Program, pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No NA17OZ2058 and State Wildlife Grant T-1-14.

If you would like more information concerning the Alaska Freshwater Fish Inventory, please contact Mike Wiedmer or Joe Buckwalter, habitat biologists, Alaska Department of Fish and Game. This information management system was designed by Skip Repetto, Ryan Snow, and Frank Wallis.