Usually, no. The open waters of Great Salt Lake are ordinarily too salty to support fish. Fish do live in freshwater streams, ponds and wetlands along the lake’s eastern margin, and a rare 1986 high-water event briefly made part of the lake suitable for rainwater killifish.
Why the main lake usually has no fish
Great Salt Lake is a closed-basin lake: rivers and streams bring in freshwater, mainly to the south arm, while evaporation leaves dissolved salts behind. A railroad causeway restricts water exchange between the north and south arms, helping create different salinity levels and biological communities. The Utah Geological Survey describes the ordinary condition plainly: “The lake is ordinarily far too salty for fish.” Utah Geological Survey
Salinity varies across the lake. The Utah Geological Survey reports long-term averages of about 12% in Gilbert Bay and about 25% in Gunnison Bay. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources gives typical ranges of 12%–15% in the south arm and 26%–30% in the north arm; ocean water is about 3.5% salt. Utah Geological Survey Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
Are there exceptions?
The 1986 high-water event
Yes, but it was an unusual episode, not evidence of a normal resident fish population. In 1986, historically high lake levels diluted the south arm to about 5% salinity, and rainwater killifish entered near Stansbury Island. The Utah Geological Survey documents this as a temporary exception. Utah Geological Survey
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Fish in nearby waters
Fish inhabit streams, ponds and wetlands along the eastern margin, where fish-eating birds forage. Those habitats are distinct from the hypersaline open lake, so seeing fish near Great Salt Lake does not mean they live in its main waters. Utah Geological Survey
What animals live in the lake if there are no fish?
The lake’s food web is built around organisms adapted to salt. Algae, bacteria and protozoans support brine shrimp and brine-fly larvae, which in turn provide food for migratory birds. The Utah Geological Survey estimates that the lake can hold tens of trillions of brine shrimp and hundreds of billions of brine flies. Utah Geological Survey
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Brine shrimp are crustaceans, not fish. Great Salt Lake’s species is Artemia franciscana. Its dormant eggs, called cysts, can remain viable for decades or longer under suitable conditions, and are used in aquaculture, science and education. Utah Geological Survey
Why are there dead fish on Great Salt Lake beaches?
A fish carcass on shore does not prove that fish live in the main lake. The Utah Geological Survey says carcasses occasionally wash onto the beaches, creating the false impression that living fish inhabit the lake. A carcass may have come from a nearby stream, pond or wetland, or from an unusual event; the presence of one alone does not establish its origin. Utah Geological Survey
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Do fish live in the wetlands around Great Salt Lake?
Yes. Fish are found in streams, ponds and wetlands around the eastern margin. These connected but less-salty habitats support fish and help feed fish-eating birds. They should not be confused with the open lake, where ordinary salinity is too high for fish. Utah Geological Survey
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