In early October 2013, local fishers Eli Nukapigak and Edward Nukapigak Jr. alerted wildlife officials to the discovery of “sick fish” in their nets near Nuiqsut. The aanaakłiq had fuzzy grayish-white patches on their bodies, fins, and heads. Cottony masses almost covered the eyes of some fish. None of the fishers in the community recalled seeing this condition before.

Fish had a brownish moldy growth all over its body.

Fishing this spring and caught a broad whitefish that had a growth.

Nice looking whitefish, but had a bulged out eyeball on one side of head.