Russia’s waterways span Arctic coastlines, vast lakes, winding rivers and far-eastern streams, creating habitats for a wide variety of freshwater and marine fish. From ice-covered seas to temperate river basins, the country’s ichthyofauna reflects its huge geographic range and climatic contrasts.
There are 44 Fish of Russia, ranging from Amur sleeper to Zander. For each species, you’ll find below Scientific name,Range / Habitat,Max length (cm); this structure makes it easy to compare distribution and size at a glance, and you’ll find below.
Which species on the list occur in both freshwater and brackish or marine environments?
Several taxa on the list are euryhaline or have life stages in different salinities—salmonids that migrate between rivers and the sea, various smelts and gobies—so check the Range / Habitat column for migration notes or coastal presence.
Are any of these fish protected or considered at risk in Russia?
Yes—some species face regional pressures from overfishing, habitat loss and pollution; conservation status varies by species and region, so consult national Red Lists or IUCN entries linked in the Scientific name field for up-to-date protection information.
Fish of Russia
| Common name | Scientific name | Range / Habitat | Max length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic cod | Gadus morhua | Barents Sea; coastal | 200 |
| Walleye pollock | Gadus chalcogrammus | North Pacific shelf; Bering Sea | 120 |
| Haddock | Melanogrammus aeglefinus | Barents Sea; coastal | 90 |
| Polar cod | Boreogadus saida | Arctic shelf; near-ice waters | 30 |
| Atlantic halibut | Hippoglossus hippoglossus | Barents & White Sea; shelf | 400 |
| Pacific halibut | Hippoglossus stenolepis | Bering Sea; North Pacific shelf | 300 |
| Atlantic salmon | Salmo salar | NW rivers (White/Barents); coastal | 150 |
| Brown trout | Salmo trutta | Freshwaters across European Russia | 80 |
| Arctic char | Salvelinus alpinus | Arctic lakes and rivers; coastal | 70 |
| Dolly Varden | Salvelinus malma | Far East rivers and coastal | 70 |
| Siberian taimen | Hucho taimen | Siberian rivers; large clear streams | 200 |
| Lenok | Brachymystax lenok | Siberian and Far East rivers | 70 |
| Rainbow trout | Oncorhynchus mykiss | Introduced; Pacific & inland stocks | 100 |
| Pink salmon | Oncorhynchus gorbuscha | Far East rivers and coastal | 60 |
| Chum salmon | Oncorhynchus keta | Far East rivers and coastal | 100 |
| Sockeye salmon | Oncorhynchus nerka | Far East lakes and rivers | 80 |
| Chinook salmon | Oncorhynchus tshawytscha | Far East rivers; migrant | 180 |
| Masu salmon | Oncorhynchus masou | Sea of Japan; Far East rivers | 80 |
| Common carp | Cyprinus carpio | Widespread rivers, lakes; introduced | 100 |
| Crucian carp | Carassius carassius | Freshwater across European Russia | 45 |
| Prussian carp | Carassius gibelio | Widespread introduced; ponds, rivers | 45 |
| Roach | Rutilus rutilus | Widespread lakes and rivers | 35 |
| European perch | Perca fluviatilis | Freshwater across Russia | 60 |
| Zander | Sander lucioperca | Volga, Don basins; reservoirs | 100 |
| Northern pike | Esox lucius | Freshwaters across Russia | 150 |
| Sterlet | Acipenser ruthenus | Volga, Don, many rivers | 150 |
| Siberian sturgeon | Acipenser baerii | Siberian rivers; freshwater | 250 |
| Russian sturgeon | Acipenser gueldenstaedtii | Caspian/Black Sea basins | 200 |
| Beluga | Huso huso | Caspian/Black Sea rivers | 500 |
| Amur sturgeon | Acipenser schrenckii | Amur basin; large rivers | 250 |
| Atlantic herring | Clupea harengus | Barents Sea and Baltic coasts | 45 |
| Pacific herring | Clupea pallasii | North Pacific coasts; Sea of Okhotsk | 45 |
| Capelin | Mallotus villosus | Barents and northern seas; pelagic | 20 |
| Mackerel | Scomber scombrus | Barents and NW seas; pelagic | 60 |
| Turbot | Scophthalmus maximus | Black, Baltic, northern coastal waters | 100 |
| Starry flounder | Platichthys stellatus | North Pacific coastal areas | 90 |
| European flounder | Platichthys flesus | Baltic, White Sea coastal waters | 60 |
| Round goby | Neogobius melanostomus | Azov-Black Sea; estuaries, coastal | 25 |
| Amur sleeper | Perccottus glenii | European Russia freshwater invasive | 25 |
| Baikal omul | Coregonus migratorius | Lake Baikal; pelagic cold lake | 60 |
| Burbot | Lota lota | Freshwaters and coastal cold waters | 100 |
| Three-spined stickleback | Gasterosteus aculeatus | Coastal and freshwater across Russia | 12 |
| Nine-spined stickleback | Pungitius pungitius | Freshwater and coastal northern Russia | 10 |
| European eel | Anguilla anguilla | European Russia rivers and Baltic coasts | 120 |
Images and Descriptions
Atlantic cod
A large gadoid with a heavy body, three dorsal fins and chin barbel. Common on the Barents shelf and Arctic coasts, important commercial species. Recognizable by mottled brown skin and large mouth; can reach great sizes.
Walleye pollock
A slender, silver-grey cod relative abundant in Pacific Russian waters. Forms massive schools on the continental shelf, key for fisheries. Identified by a pale lateral line and small barbel-less chin, often confused with true cod.
Haddock
A medium-sized gadoid with a dark lateral line and distinctive black lateral blotch. Common on rocky and muddy bottoms of the Barents Sea, targeted by fisheries. Silvery body with darker back makes it distinguishable.
Polar cod
A small, cold-adapted cod found under Arctic ice and in polar shelf waters. Important prey for seals and seabirds. Pale, elongated body with a short chin barbel; abundant in frigid high-latitude ecosystems.
Atlantic halibut
A massive flatfish of northern shelves, laterally compressed and dark-brown above. Lives on sandy bottoms and spawns offshore. Sought by fisheries; notable for huge size and asymmetrical eye placement on one side.
Pacific halibut
Large demersal flatfish common in Bering and Okhotsk seas. Pale underside, dark upper surface, both eyes on one side. Bottom-dweller that can reach large sizes and supports commercial fisheries across the Russian Far East.
Atlantic salmon
An anadromous salmon returning to northern Russian rivers to spawn. Silvery at sea, spotted back and adipose fin. Valued by anglers and fisheries; known for long migrations and strong fighting behavior.
Brown trout
A versatile freshwater salmonid found in rivers and lakes. Brown body with dark spots, often golden flanks. Some populations are resident, others sea-run. Popular with anglers and widespread across European Russia.
Arctic char
A cold-water char with variable colours, often orange belly in spawning males. Found in Arctic lakes and coastal waters. Small to medium-sized, prized locally and common in tundra freshwater systems.
Dolly Varden
A Pacific char with spotted sides and a hooked jaw in males during spawning. Abundant in Far East streams and coastal lagoons. Anadromous and freshwater forms exist; important ecologically and for local fisheries.
Siberian taimen
The giant salmonid of Siberia, powerful predator with elongated body and big mouth. Prefers large, clean rivers and is prized by anglers. Rare in places due to overfishing and habitat loss; can reach great lengths.
Lenok
A robust salmonid with a blunt snout and spotted sides, common in cold rivers of Siberia and the Far East. Omnivorous and locally abundant; often confused with related lenok species but distinctive by head shape and markings.
Rainbow trout
An introduced salmonid now established in many Russian waters. Bright lateral pink stripe in freshwater forms; widely farmed and stocked in rivers and lakes. Popular with anglers and adaptable to varied habitats.
Pink salmon
A small Pacific salmon abundant in odd-year runs in the Russian Far East. Silver at sea and humpbacked males in spawning season. Short-lived but highly numerous, supporting large seasonal fisheries.
Chum salmon
A sturdy Pacific salmon with vertical bars during spawning. Extremely abundant in Far Eastern river systems and coastal waters. Important for commercial harvest and ecosystems as a nutrient subsidy to rivers.
Sockeye salmon
A planktivorous salmon often associated with lakes upstream of Far East rivers. Adults develop bright red flanks during spawning. Economically and ecologically important, with strong site fidelity to natal lakes.
Chinook salmon
The largest Pacific salmon present in Russian Far East waters. Powerful migratory fish with varied coloration; prized by anglers and significant for commercial fisheries where abundant. Long migrations and large size characterize the species.
Masu salmon
A Pacific salmon native to the Sea of Japan and nearby rivers. Streamlined body with spots and parr marks in juveniles. Anadromous and resident forms occur; culturally and commercially important in the Russian Far East.
Common carp
A large, deep-bodied cyprinid introduced widely for aquaculture and fisheries. Recognizable by barbels at the mouth and strong pharyngeal teeth. Tolerant of low oxygen, common in ponds, reservoirs and slow rivers across Russia.
Crucian carp
A hardy, golden-brown cyprinid with a high-back body common in ponds and slow rivers. Survives low oxygen conditions and winters under ice. Small to medium size and abundant in many shallow waters.
Prussian carp
An invasive crucian-like fish that often dominates shallow waters. High fecundity and tolerance of varied conditions allow rapid spread. Resembles crucian carp but can hybridize and outcompete natives in some regions.
Roach
A common, schooling cyprinid with silver body and red-tinged fins. Very widespread in rivers and lakes across Russia, adaptable to many freshwater habitats. Often part of mixed-species catches and a familiar sight to anglers.
European perch
A familiar predatory fish with vertical dark bars and a spiny dorsal fin. Abundant in lakes and rivers; popular with anglers. Juveniles form schools while adults are solitary ambush predators of smaller fish and invertebrates.
Zander
A large predatory percid introduced or spread into many river systems and reservoirs. Long, silvery body with toothy jaws and nocturnal habits. Highly valued for sport and commercial fishing where established.
Northern pike
A long, ambush predatory fish with a duckbill snout and sharp teeth, common in nearly all freshwater habitats. Quiet ambush hunter of fish and amphibians, popular with anglers and widely distributed from Europe to Siberia.
Sterlet
A small, slender sturgeon with elongated snout and bony scutes. Historically common in large European rivers, now reduced by fishing and habitat loss. Valued for caviar and notable for its graceful swimming.
Siberian sturgeon
A large freshwater sturgeon native to Siberian river systems. Heavy-bodied with rows of bony scutes and long migrations within river basins. Important for caviar production and conservation efforts in many rivers.
Russian sturgeon
A large anadromous sturgeon of the Black and Caspian basins, migrating into rivers to spawn. Heavy armor-like scutes and tapering snout distinguish it. Historically important for caviar, now conservation concern.
Beluga
The colossal sturgeon of the Caspian and Black Sea basins, famed for giant size and prized caviar. Migrates long distances into rivers to spawn. Rare and legally protected in many areas due to overfishing and population declines.
Amur sturgeon
A large Amur River sturgeon with a robust body and pointed snout. Anadromous and riverine behaviors vary; sought for caviar and meat. Threatened locally by habitat change and fishing pressure in the Russian Far East.
Atlantic herring
A schooling pelagic clupeid common in northern Russian seas and Baltic coasts. Silvery, streamlined body with forked tail; central to many fisheries. Forms large shoals and is a keystone prey species for larger predators.
Pacific herring
A key forage fish of the Russian Far East, schooling in coastal waters and estuaries. Silvery with a slender profile, supports large fisheries and marine food webs across the Bering and Okhotsk seas.
Capelin
A small, schooling pelagic fish abundant in northern seas. Feeds on plankton and is a vital prey species for seabirds, seals and larger fish. Recognizable by its small size and slender silver body.
Mackerel
A fast-swimming, streamlined pelagic fish occurring in northern seas. Distinctive dark wavy stripes on blue-green back and forked tail. Important commercially and common in coastal and shelf waters in summer.
Turbot
A large, diamond-shaped flatfish living on sandy bottoms in coastal seas. Left-eyed, mottled brown upper side camouflages it on the seabed. Valued gourmet fish in Black and Baltic Sea regions where it occurs.
Starry flounder
A robust flatfish with rough, star-like skin tubercles and variable mottling. Common in Pacific Russian coastal habitats and estuaries. Tolerant of brackish conditions and recognizable by its bumpy texture and eye-side spotting.
European flounder
A flatfish of shallow coastal and estuarine waters with a rounded body and camouflaged upper side. Enters low-salinity areas and is common along northern and western Russian coasts. Smaller than halibut or turbot.
Round goby
A tough, bottom-dwelling goby introduced and now common in Black and Azov Sea littoral zones. Recognizable by fused pelvic fins forming a suction disk and dark spot near the dorsal fin. Can dominate invaded habitats.
Amur sleeper
A hardy non-native freshwater predator that has spread across European Russia. Squat body, rounded fins and large mouth; tolerates low oxygen and swamps. Often abundant in ponds and slow rivers, impacting native fish.
Baikal omul
An iconic whitefish endemic to Lake Baikal, schooling in pelagic waters and migrating seasonally. Silvery with a streamlined body, valued by local fisheries. Unique lake ecology and cultural importance to Siberian communities.
Burbot
A nocturnal, eel-like cod family member found in cold rivers and lakes, and nearshore seas. Single barbel on chin, mottled brown coloration, and preference for deep holes. Important as a winter fish and predator of fish and invertebrates.
Three-spined stickleback
A small, spiny-backed fish common in ponds, streams and coastal waters. Recognizable by three dorsal spines and bony plates in some populations. Important for studies of ecology and evolution and abundant in many habitats.
Nine-spined stickleback
A small, secretive fish with nine dorsal spines and variable armor, common in northern bogs, lakes and coastal lagoons. Tolerant of cold conditions and often abundant in peat-stained waters across northern Russia.
European eel
A long, snake-like migratory eel that spends most life in freshwater before returning to the Sargasso Sea to spawn. Brownish body with small fins; increasingly rare and legally protected in many regions due to declines.
