List of fishes of the Salish Sea

There are at least 253 identified species of fish known to inhabit the marine and brackish regions of the Salish Sea. Species are listed by common name, scientific name, typical occurrence within the Salish Seas regions.[1]

The Salish Sea, showing the Strait of Georgia near centre, the Strait of Juan de Fuca below, Puget Sound at the lower right, Johnstone Strait at the extreme upper left, and the Pacific Ocean at lower left. Sediment from the Fraser River is visible as a greenish plume in the Strait of Georgia.

Salish Sea regions: JF=Strait of Juan de Fuca; SJ=San Juan Islands; BB=Bellingham Bay; SG=southern Strait of Georgia; NG=northern Strait of Georgia; NS=northern Puget Sound; SS=southern Puget Sound; HC=Hood Canal.

Lamniformes (Mackerel Sharks)

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Alopiidae (Thresher sharks)

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Cetorhinidae (Basking sharks)

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Lamnidae (Mackerel sharks)

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Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks)

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Leopard shark

Triakidae (Hound sharks)

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Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)

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Hexanchiformes (Six-gill sharks)

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Hexanchidae (Cow sharks)

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Squaliformes (Dogfish sharks)

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Squalidae (Dogfish sharks)

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Somniosidae (Sleeper sharks)

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Squatiniformes (Angel sharks)

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Pacific angelshark

Torpediniformes (Electric rays)

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White Sturgeon

Nemichthyidae (Snipe eels)

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Engraulidae (Anchovies)

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Clupeidae (Herrings and sardines)

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Cyprinidae (Minnows and carps)

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Argentiniformes (Marine smelts)

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Bathylagidae (Deep sea smelts)

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Osmeriformes (Freshwater smelts)

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Coastal cutthroat trout

Salmonidae (Trouts and salmons)

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Stomiiformes (Dragonfishes)

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Sternoptychidae (Marine hatchetfishes)

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Stomiidae (Dragonfishes)

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Aulopiformes (Lizardfishes)

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Alepisauridae (Lancetfishes)

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Paralepididae (Barracudinas)

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Myctophiformes (Lanternfishes)

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Trachipteridae (Ribbonfishes)

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Merlucciidae (Merlucciid hakes)

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Bythitidae (Viviparous brotulas)

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Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels)

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Beloniformes (Needlefishes)

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  • Tubesnout Aulorhynchus flavidus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC

Gasterosteidae (Sticklebacks)

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Syngnathidae (Pipefishes)

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Scorpaeniformes (Mail-cheeked fishes)

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Tiger rockfish

Scorpaenidae (Scorpionfishes)

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Anoplopomatidae (Sablefishes)

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Sablefish
  • Sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC

Hexagrammidae (Greenlings)

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Rhamphocottidae (Grunt sculpins)

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  • Grunt sculpin Rhamphocottus richardsonii, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC

Cottidae (Sculpins)

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Longfin sculpin
 
Fluffy sculpin

Hemitripteridae (Spiny sculpins)

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Sailfin sculpin

Agonidae (Poachers)

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Fourhorn poacher

Psychrolutidae (Fathead sculpins)

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Cyclopteridae (Lumpfishes)

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Liparidae (Snailfishes)

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Moronidae (Temperate basses)

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Bramidae (Pomfrets)

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Sciaenidae (Drums and croakers)

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Embiotocidae (Surfperches)

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Northern ronquil

Zoarcidae (Eelpouts)

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Stichaeidae (Pricklebacks)

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Pholidae (Gunnels)

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  • Wolf eel Anarrhichthys ocellatus, JF SJ BB SG NS SS HC

Ptilichthyidae (Quillfishes)

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Zaproridae (Prowfishes)

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Scytalinidae (Graveldivers)

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Ammodytidae (Sand lances)

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Icosteida (Ragfishes)

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  • Ragfish Icosteus aenigmaticus, JF SJ SG NS SS

Gobiesocidae (Clingfishes)

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Sphyraenidae (Barracudas)

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Trichiuridae (Cutlassfishes)

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Scombridae (Mackerels)

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Stromateidae (Butterfishes)

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Paralichthyidae (Sand flounders)

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Pleuronectidae (Righteye flounders)

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Rock sole

Cynoglossidae (Tonguefishes)

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Notes

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  1. ^ Pietsch, Theodore W.; Orr, James W. (September 2015). NOAA Professional Paper NMFS 18-Fishes of the Salish Sea: a compilation and distributional analysis (PDF) (Report). National Marine Fisheries Service. pp. 6–11. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak Species (and hybrid) new to the marine ichthyofauna of the Salish Sea, added since the most recently published checklist (Miller and Borton, 1980)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Primarily freshwater species
  4. ^ Brown, Scott (15 Aug 2014). "SHARK WEEK: 14 sharks, including the Great White, swim in B.C. waters and more are coming". Vancouver Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  5. ^ https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1420721/full
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Name changes introduced since the most recently published checklist (Miller and Borton, 1980)
  7. ^ a b c d e Introduced species
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Anadromous species