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.

Myxiniformes (Hagfish)

Myxinidae

Petromyzontiformes (Lampreys)

Petromyzontidae

Chimaeriformes (Ratfish)

Chimaeridae

Lamniformes (Mackerel Sharks)

Alopiidae (Thresher sharks)

Cetorhinidae (Basking sharks)

Lamnidae (Mackerel sharks)

Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks)

Scyliorhinidae (Cat sharks)

Triakidae (Hound sharks)

Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)

Hexanchiformes (Six-gill sharks)

Hexanchidae (Cow sharks)

Squaliformes (Dogfish sharks)

Squalidae (Dogfish sharks)

Somniosidae (Sleeper sharks)

Squatiniformes (Angel sharks)

Squatinidae

Torpediniformes (Electric rays)

Torpedinidae

Rajiformes (Skates)

Rajidae

Acipenseriformes (Sturgeons)

Acipenseridae

Anguilliformes (Eels)

Nemichthyidae (Snipe eels)

Clupeiformes (Herrings)

Engraulidae (Anchovies)

Clupeidae (Herrings and sardines)

Cypriniformes (Carps)

Cyprinidae (Minnows and carps)

Argentiniformes (Marine smelts)

Bathylagidae (Deep sea smelts)

Osmeriformes (Freshwater smelts)

Osmeridae (Smelts)

Salmoniformes (Trouts)

Salmonidae (Trouts and salmons)

Stomiiformes (Dragonfishes)

Sternoptychidae (Marine hatchetfishes)

Stomiidae (Dragonfishes)

Aulopiformes (Lizardfishes)

Synodontidae

Alepisauridae (Lancetfishes)

Paralepididae (Barracudinas)

Myctophiformes (Lanternfishes)

Myctophidae

Lampriformes (Opahs)

Lampridae

Trachipteridae (Ribbonfishes)

Gadiformes (Cods)

Merlucciidae (Merlucciid hakes)

Gadidae (Cods)

Ophidiiformes (Cusk-eels)

Bythitidae (Viviparous brotulas)

Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels)

Batrachoidiformes (Toadfishes)

Batrachoididae

Beloniformes (Needlefishes)

Scomberesocidae (Sauries)

Cyprinodontiformes (Killfishes)

Cyprinodontidae (Pupfishes)

Gasterosteiformes (Sticklebacks)

Aulorhynchidae (Tubesnouts)

Gasterosteidae (Sticklebacks)

Syngnathidae (Pipefishes)

Scorpaeniformes (Mail-cheeked fishes)

Scorpaenidae (Scorpionfishes)

Anoplopomatidae (Sablefishes)

Hexagrammidae (Greenlings)

Rhamphocottidae (Grunt sculpins)

Cottidae (Sculpins)

Hemitripteridae (Spiny sculpins)

Agonidae (Poachers)

Psychrolutidae (Fathead sculpins)

Cyclopteridae (Lumpfishes)

Liparidae (Snailfishes)

Perciformes (Perches)

Moronidae (Temperate basses)

Carangidae (Jacks)

Bramidae (Pomfrets)

Sciaenidae (Drums and croakers)

Embiotocidae (Surfperches)

Bathymasteridae (Ronquils)

Zoarcidae (Eelpouts)

Stichaeidae (Pricklebacks)

Cryptacanthodidae (Wrymouths)

Pholidae (Gunnels)

Anarhichadidae (Wolffishes)

Ptilichthyidae (Quillfishes)

Zaproridae (Prowfishes)

Scytalinidae (Graveldivers)

Trichodontidae (Sandfishes)

Ammodytidae (Sand lances)

Icosteida (Ragfishes)

Gobiesocidae (Clingfishes)

Gobiidae (Gobies)

Sphyraenidae (Barracudas)

Trichiuridae (Cutlassfishes)

Scombridae (Mackerels)

Stromateidae (Butterfishes)

Pleuronectiformes (Flatfishes)

Paralichthyidae (Sand flounders)

Pleuronectidae (Righteye flounders)

Cynoglossidae (Tonguefishes)

Tetraodontiformes (Plectognaths)

Molidae (Molas)

Notes and References

  1. 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.
  2. Species (and hybrid) new to the marine ichthyofauna of the Salish Sea, added since the most recently published checklist (Miller and Borton, 1980)
  3. Primarily freshwater species
  4. 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 .
  5. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1420721/full
  6. Name changes introduced since the most recently published checklist (Miller and Borton, 1980)
  7. Introduced species
  8. Anadromous species