The Arctic Char is the most northern fresh water species of fish. It can live in both fresh water and salt water. Late in the summer the Char will swim from the ocean up river to very cold glacial lakes before the ice starts to form on the lakes. Other arctic char live year round in very cold fresh water lakes. There is a group of biologists who are spending a few days at Isfjord Radio at Kapp Linne from UNIS. They went out into the field today to fish for the Arctic Char so they can learn about it, disect it and then finally eat a sample of it. They brought back two fish and I captured a shot after they were cleaned and ready for cooking.
It is estimated that under 10% of Svalbard has biologic productivity according to the Norwegian Polar Institute. In the Arctic TundraA treeless area between the icecap and the tree line of arctic regions, having a permanently frozen subsoil and supporting low-growing vegetation such as lichens, mosses, and stunted shrubs. (tundra is from a Finnish word meaning treelless) the biodiversity is low, there is a very short summer and the temperature never gets higher than around 12 degree C. There is a short season of growth and reproduction and although the summer has sun for 24 hours per day it is not warm enough for long enough time for any species of plants to grow very tall. That is what gives the arctic tundra the worlds smallest tree, the dwarf willow which looks like ground cover. Some tree purist claim the definition of a tree is "a woody plant with a single erect perennial trunk that reaches at least 3 inches in diameter at breast height when mature" so there is an arguable point that the polar willow is not really a tree. It is, however, a close relative to the willow tree so that is the counter argument. Besides a few flowering plants, there are many varieties of lichen. 
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