Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus).

Forage fishes are of particular concern in Alaska because the decline of these species is considered to be a potential cause of dramatic declines in populations of Steller sea lions, fur seals, and seabirds during the past 20 years. Forage fishes are abundant, schooling fishes preyed upon by many species of seabirds, marine mammals, and other fish species. They provide important ecosystem functions by transferring energy from primary or secondary producers to higher trophic levels.

Major forage fishes in Alaska include juvenile walleye pollock, Pacific herring, Pacific sand lance, capelin, eulachon, and Atka mackerel. Other species, such as Pacific salmon juveniles, are sometimes important (usually seasonally or locally). The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has designated a special forage fish management category to prevent directed fishing on some groups of forage including: gunnels, lanternfish, sandfish, sandlance, smelts, stichaeids, and euphausiids.

Most forage fishes are distinguished by schooling behavior, relatively short life spans, and are locally abundant. Most species have demersal eggs, but walleye pollock have pelagic eggs which are spawned in deep water along the continental shelf. Other species spawn in freshwater streams (e.g., Pacific salmon and eulachon), and some species spawn in the shallow water along the beach (e.g., capelin, Pacific sand lance, and Pacific herring.)