Most of this refuge is designated wilderness; it is located at the tip of the Alaska Peninsula.
The Izembek Lagoon contains one of the largest eelgrass beds in the world. Hundreds of thousands of waterfowl, including nearly the entire population of Pacific brant and most of the world's emperor geese depend on the refuge during spring and fall migrations. The Steller's eider is abundant during winter. In addition to waterfowl, all five species of Pacific salmon are found in refuge waters, plus brown bear, caribou, river otter, gray wolf and many other species of land mammals inhabit the refuge.