Dorsal fin Adipose Filaments fin Gill rakers HOW TO IDENTIFY SALMON, Caudal fin TROUT, AND OTHER SPECIES COMMONLY FOUND IN ALASKA Rays Left pectoral fin Left pelvic fin Anal fin ALASKA’S WILD SALMON ARE FOUND IN BOTH FRESH AND SALTWATERS King (Chinook) Salmon Silver (Coho) Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Oncorhynchus kisutch Small black spots on back Small black spots usually occur and both lobes of tail. Gum only on upper lobe of tail and on line on lower jaw black. Less back. Gum line on lower jaw not than 25 gill rakers, 15-17 black. Scales large; less than 25 anal fin rays.The largest of gill rakers, 13-15 anal fin rays. Size all Pacific salmon, 30-55 24-28 inches. inches.

Sockeye (Red) Salmon Pink (Humpback) Salmon Oncorhynchus nerka Oncorhynchus gorbuscha No distinct black spots on Large oval black spots on back back or tail; over 30-40 long, and on both lobes of tail; scales very fine, serrated and closely small; usually over 12 anal fin rays; spaced gill rakers over 12 males develop a pronounced hump anal fin rays. Relatively large during spawning. Size 15-24 inches. eye, Size 18-24 inches.

Chum (Dog) Salmon Steelhead Oncorhynchus keta Oncorhynchus mykiss Sea-run rainbow trout with bluish No distinct black spots on gray back and bright silvery sides. back or tail; 18-28 smooth, Small black spots on back, sides and short, stout, and widely tail. Pink/red coloration develops spaced gill rakers; usually after returning to fresh water to over 12 anal fin rays. Size spawn. Size several inches to over 24-32 inches. 40 inches.

Rainbow Trout Dolly Varden/Arctic Char Oncorhynchus mykiss Salvelinus malma, S. alpinus Freshwater residents. Green Round, red, pink or yellow spots to bluish black with silvery to on sides, tail slightly forked; 8-12 yellowish-green sides. Broad anal fin rays; no dark green wavy pinkish band along side and marks on back or dorsal fin. Arctic black spots on back, sides, char occur from Bristol Bay to polar and tail. Upper jaw usually regions. does not extend past eye.

Lake Trout Cutthroat Trout Salvelinus namaycush Oncorhynchus clarki Body dark green to grayish Spots on body dark brown or black; with oval irregular white 8-12 anal fin rays, no red band on to yellowish spots on sides sides; red to orange slash on under- and back, tail deeply forked; side of lower jaw; upper jaw extends 8-12 anal fin rays; no dark well behind eye in adults. green wavy marks on back or dorsal fin.

Arctic Grayling Burbot Thymallus articus Lota lota Dorsal fin much longer than Two dorsal fins and one anal fin in whitefish (especially in present; no adipose fin as in trouts, males) and fan-like. Rows of salmon, grayling and whitefish; pelvic reddish to orange and/or purple fins very far forward and just under to green spots on dorsal fin; head; body long and tapering; barbel sides of fish are black spotted; on chin. scales larger than in trouts.

Whitefish Northern Pike Whitefish are distinguished Esox lucius from the trout and salmon by the Dorsal and anal fins positioned small, weak, or absent teeth and rearward; no adipose fin as in trouts, the presence of large scales; dis- salmon, grayling and whitefish; long tinguished from Arctic grayling flattened jaws with large mouth and Several common species that occur in AK are the by the much smaller dorsal fin. many sharp teeth, sides are yellowish round and humpback whitefish, least cisco, and gray. sheefish. A sheefish is shown. SALTWATER SPECIES COMMONLY FOUND IN ALASKA

FLATFISH Pacific Halibut Hippoglossus stenolepis Arrowtooth Flounder More elongated than most Atheresthes stomias flatfishes, with width being Large mouth and numerous sharp about one-third the length. teeth. Little arching of lateral line. Adults have both eyes on their dark or upper side. Col- Upper eye reaches top of head. or on the dark side tends to Length to 34 inches. assume the coloration of the ocean bottom. The underside is lighter, often white.

Starry Flounder Rock Sole Platichthys stellatus Lepidopsetta bilneata Black and yellow to or- Lateral line arched over pectoral ange bands on fins. Length fin. Jaw does not extend below to 36 inches. middle of eye. Length to 24 inches.

ROCKFISH More than 30 species occur in Alaska’s coastal waters, and about a dozen are commonly taken in Alaska sport fisheries, including yelloweye, black, dusky, quillback, copper, tiger, china, canary, redstripe, silvergray, rougheye and shortraker rockfish. These fish are characterized by having bony plates or spines on the head and body, a large mouth, and pelvic fins attached forward near the pectoral fins. The spines are venomous, and although not extremely toxic, can cause pain and infection. Some species are brightly colored, and many are difficult to distinguish from one another.

Black Rockfish Yelloweye Rockfish Sebastes melanops Sebastes ruberrimus Often misnamed “black bass”. Also called red snapper. Orange Dark gray to black with dusky red and orange yellow, with bright white belly. Jaw extends to rear yellow eye. Size up to 36 inches. of eye. Up to 25 inches. This is a non-pelagic rockfish; bot- tom dwelling and found on or near the ocean floor.

Dusky Rockfish Copper Rockfish Sebastes ciliatus Sebastes caurinus There are both dark colored Olive brown to copper with pink species (uniformly black, no or yellow blotches, white on sides white belly), and light dusky and belly. Up to 22 inches. Non- rockfish (brownish body col- pelagic. or, whitish belly). OTHER SALTWATER SPECIES Lingcod Kelp Greenling Ophiodon elongatus Hexagrammos decagrammus Brown to reddish-brown In the same family as lingcod, but with spots or blotches. Sharp lacking rigid spines on the dorsal fin. teeth. Elongated body, large Male kelp greenling have irregular head and mouth, no barbel. blue spots; females are various shades Single dorsal fin, notched past of golden yellow on their heads and the middle of its length. Can fins. Only grow to about 21 inches. grow to 5 ft.

Pacific Cod, Tomcod, and Pollock Sablefish, also known as “Black Cod” Anoplopoma fimbria All have three distinct dorsal fins, and two anal fins. No rigid spines on their fins. Small teeth. Pacific cod and tomcod have a prominent Sablefish, commonly known as black cod, have a streamlined, barbel beneath their chin; on pollock it is very small or absent. Pacific elongated body, black to dark gray above fading to gray or white in cod grow to 40 inches. the belly, with two dorsal fins and small teeth. Larger fish found in deep water, can grow to 40 inches. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game administers all programs and activities free from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, or disability. The department administers all programs and activities in ation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility, or if you desire further information please write to ADF&G, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau, AK 99811- 5526; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 300 Webb, Arlington, VA 22203; or O.E.O., U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington DC 20240. For information on alternative formats for this and other department publications, please contact the department ADA Coordinator at (voice) 907-465-6077, (TDD) 907-465-3646, or (FAX) 907-465-6078.