It has small spots on its dorsal fin and larger ones on its head, a terminal mouth position and a large number of gill rakers, typical of fish that feed in the pelagic zone.

It feeds primarily in the rich pelagic zone of Lake Baikal up to 345–450 m. It is a relatively long-lived, iteroparous species that attains reproductive maturity at five to 15 years of age.

Smoked omul is widely sold around the lake and is one of the highlights for many travelers on the Trans-Siberian railway, and locals tend to prefer the fish salted.

A popular Siberian salad called stroganina consists of uncooked frozen omul shaved thinly and served with pepper, salt and onion.

[3] A subsequent crash in the population led to a closing of the fishery in 1969, followed by a reopening with strict quotas in 1974 after some recovery of the stocks.