List of fishes of the Salish Sea explained
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]
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.
Myxinidae
Chimaeriformes (Ratfish)
Lamnidae (Mackerel sharks)
- Salmon shark Lamna ditropis, JF SJ SG NG NS
- Great white shark Carcharodon carcharias, JF NS[4]
Scyliorhinidae (Cat sharks)
Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
Clupeidae (Herrings and sardines)
Salmonidae (Trouts and salmons)
- Cutthroat trout[6] [8] Oncorhynchus clarkii, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Pink salmon[8] Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Chum salmon[8] Oncorhynchus keta, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Coho salmon[8] Oncorhynchus kisutch, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Steelhead[6] [8] Oncorhynchus mykiss, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Sockeye salmon[8] Oncorhynchus nerka, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Chinook salmon[8] Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Atlantic salmon[2] [7] [8] Salmo salar, JF BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Bull trout[2] [3] Salvelinus confluentus, JF BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Dolly Varden[8] [3] Salvelinus malma, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
Bythitidae (Viviparous brotulas)
- Tubesnout Aulorhynchus flavidus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
Gasterosteidae (Sticklebacks)
- Threespine stickleback[8] [3] Gasterosteus aculeatus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Rougheye rockfish Sebastes aleutianus, JF NS
- Pacific ocean perch Sebastes alutus, JF SG
- Brown rockfish Sebastes auriculatus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Redbanded rockfish Sebastes babcocki, JF SJ HC
- Silvergray rockfish Sebastes brevispinis, SJ SS
- Copper rockfish Sebastes caurinus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Darkblotched rockfish Sebastes crameri, JF SG NS
- Splitnose rockfish Sebastes diploproa, JF SJ SG NS
- Greenstriped rockfish Sebastes elongatus, JF SG NS SS HC
- Puget Sound rockfish Sebastes emphaeus, JF SJ NS SS HC
- Widow rockfish Sebastes entomelas, JF SJ NS
- Yellowtail rockfish Sebastes flavidus, JF SJ SG NS SS
- Rosethorn rockfish Sebastes helvomaculatus, SJ NS
- Quillback rockfish Sebastes maliger, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Black rockfish Sebastes melanops, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Vermilion rockfish Sebastes miniatus, JF SJ NG NS HC
- Blue rockfish Sebastes mystinus, JF SG
- China rockfish Sebastes nebulosus, JF SJ
- Tiger rockfish Sebastes nigrocinctus, JF SJ SG NS
- Bocaccio rockfish Sebastes paucispinis, JF BB SG NS SS HC
- Redstripe rockfish Sebastes proriger, JF SJ BB SG NS SS HC
- Canary rockfish Sebastes pinniger, JF SJ BB SG NS SS HC
- Rosy rockfish Sebastes rosaceus, JF NS
- Yelloweye rockfish Sebastes ruberrimus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Stripetail rockfish Sebastes saxicola, JF SG NS SS HC
- Halfbanded rockfish[2] Sebastes semicinctus, JF
- Sharpchin rockfish Sebastes zacentrus, JF SG NS SS
- Shortspine thornyhead Sebastolobus alascanus, JF SJ NS SS
- Sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Grunt sculpin Rhamphocottus richardsonii, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Padded sculpin Artedius fenestralis, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Scalyhead sculpin Artedius harringtoni, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Smoothhead sculpin Artedius lateralis, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Bonyhead sculpin Artedius notospilotus, NS
- Rosylip sculpin Ascelichthys rhodorus, JF SJ SG NG NS SS
- Spinynose sculpin Asemichthys taylori, JF SJ SG
- Roughback sculpin Chitonotus pugetensis, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Sharpnose sculpin Clinocottus acuticeps, JF SJ SG NG NS SS HC
- Calico sculpin Clinocottus embryum, JF SJ SG NS
- Mosshead sculpin Clinocottus globiceps, JF SJ NS
- Coastrange sculpin[2] [3] Cottus aleuticus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Prickly sculpin[2] [3] Cottus asper, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Buffalo sculpin Enophrys bison, JF SJ BB SG NS SS HC
- Red Irish lord Hemilepidotus hemilepidotus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Brown Irish lord Hemilepidotus spinosus, JF NS
- Northern sculpin Icelinus borealis, JF SJ SG NG NS SS HC
- Dusky sculpin Icelinus burchami, SG HC
- Threadfin sculpin Icelinus filamentosus, SJ SG NG NS HC
- Fringed sculpin[2] Icelinus fimbriatus, SG NG
- Spotfin sculpin Icelinus tenuis, SG NG NS SS
- Longfin sculpin Jordania zonope, JF SJ SG NG NS
- Pacific staghorn sculpin Leptocottus armatus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Great sculpin Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Tidepool sculpin Oligocottus maculosus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Saddleback sculpin Oligocottus rimensis, JF SJ SG NS
- Fluffy sculpin Oligocottus snyderi, JF SJ
- Thornback sculpin[2] Paricelinus hopliticus, SG NG
- Slim sculpin Radulinus asprellus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Darter sculpin Radulinus boleoides, SJ NS
- Puget Sound sculpin[6] Ruscarius meanyi, JF SJ SG NS
- Cabezon Scorpaenichthys marmoratus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Manacled sculpin Synchirus gilli, JF SJ SG NS SS HC
- Roughspine sculpin Triglops macellus, JF SJ BB SG NS SS HC
- Ribbed sculpin Triglops pingelii, JF SJ BB SG NS
- Northern spearnose poacher[6] Agonopsis vulsa, JF SJ SG NS SS HC
- Smooth alligatorfish Anoplagonus inermis, JF SJ SG NG NS
- Gray starsnout[6] Bathyagonus alascanus, JF SJ BB SG NS SS
- Spinycheek starsnout[6] Bathyagonus infraspinatus, JF SJ SG NG NS HC
- Blackfin poacher Bathyagonus nigripinnis, SJ SG NS SS HC
- Bigeye poacher[6] Bathyagonus pentacanthus, JF SJ SG NS SS
- Rockhead Bothragonus swanii, JF SJ NS
- Warty poacher[6] Chesnonia verrucosa, JF NS
- Fourhorn poacher Hypsagonus quadricornis , JF SJ NS
- Pygmy poacher Odontopyxis trispinosa, JF SJ SG NS SS HC
- Tubenose poacher Pallasina barbata, JF SJ BB SG NS
- Sturgeon poacher[6] Podothecus accipenserinus , JF SJ BB SG NS SS HC
- Pricklebreast poacher[2] Stellerina xyosterna , JF
- Blacktip poacher Xeneretmus latifrons, JF SJ SG NG
- Smootheye poacher[2] Xeneretmus leiops , JF
- Bluespotted poacher Xeneretmus triacanthus, SJ BB NS SS HC
- Blacktail snailfish Careproctus melanurus, JF BB NS
- Spotted snailfish Liparis callyodon, JF SJ SG NG NS
- Ribbon snailfish Liparis cyclopus, JF SJ SG NS SS
- Marbled snailfish Liparis dennyi, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS
- Tidepool snailfish Liparis florae, JF SJ SG NG NS
- Slipskin snailfish Liparis fucensis, JF SJ SG NS SS
- Lobefin snailfish[6] Liparis greeni, JF SJ BB SG
- Slimy snailfish[2] Liparis mucosus, JF SJ
- Showy snailfish Liparis pulchellus , JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Ringtail snailfish[2] Liparis rutteri, JF SJ SG
- Pygmy snailfish[2] Lipariscus nanus, SG
- Tadpole snailfish Nectoliparis pelagicus, SG NG NS SS HC
Moronidae (Temperate basses)
Sciaenidae (Drums and croakers)
Zoarcidae (Eelpouts)
- Slender cockscomb Anoplarchus insignis, JF SJ SG NS SS
- High cockscomb Anoplarchus purpurescens, JF SJ SG NG NS SS HC
- Decorated warbonnet[6] Chirolophis decoratus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS
- Mosshead warbonnet Chirolophis nugator, JF SJ SG NS SS
- Daubed shanny[6] Leptoclinus maculatus, JF SJ BB SG NS
- Longsnout prickleback[2] Lumpenella longirostris, SG
- Y-prickleback[2] Lumpenopsis hypochroma, SG NG
- Snake prickleback Lumpenus sagitta, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Ribbon prickleback Phytichthys chirus, JF SJ SG NS
- Bluebarred prickleback Plectobranchus evides, SG NS SS HC
- Whitebarred prickleback Poroclinus rothrocki, SJ BB SG NS SS HC
- Black prickleback Xiphister atropurpureus, JF SJ SG NS
- Rock prickleback Xiphister mucosus, JF SJ SG NS
- Wolf eel Anarrhichthys ocellatus, JF SJ BB SG NS SS HC
Icosteida (Ragfishes)
- Ragfish Icosteus aenigmaticus, JF SJ SG NS SS
- Arrowtooth flounder Atheresthes stomias, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Petrale sole Eopsetta jordani, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Rex sole Glyptocephalus zachirus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Flathead sole Hippoglossoides elassodon, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Pacific halibut Hippoglossus stenolepis, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Butter sole Isopsetta isolepis, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Rock sole Lepidopsetta bilineata, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Northern rock sole[2] Lepidopsetta polyxystra, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Yellowfin sole [2] Limanda aspera, SJ
- Slender sole Lyopsetta exilis, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Dover sole Microstomus pacificus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- English sole Parophrys vetulus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Forkline sole[2] Parophrys vetulus × Platichthysstellatus, SG NS SS
- Starry flounder Platichthys stellatus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- C-O sole Pleuronichthys coenosus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
- Curlfin sole[2] Pleuronichthys decurrens, JF NS SS
- Sand sole Psettichthys melanostictus, JF SJ BB SG NG NS SS HC
Notes and References
- NOAA Professional Paper NMFS 18-Fishes of the Salish Sea: a compilation and distributional analysis . Pietsch, Theodore W. . Orr, James W. . National Marine Fisheries Service . September 2015 . November 15, 2015 . 6–11.
- Species (and hybrid) new to the marine ichthyofauna of the Salish Sea, added since the most recently published checklist (Miller and Borton, 1980)
- Primarily freshwater species
- News: SHARK WEEK: 14 sharks, including the Great White, swim in B.C. waters and more are coming . Scott . Brown . Vancouver Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. . 15 Aug 2014 . September 3, 2022 .
- https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1420721/full
- Name changes introduced since the most recently published checklist (Miller and Borton, 1980)
- Introduced species
- Anadromous species