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.

Myxiniformes (Hagfish) edit

Myxinidae edit

Petromyzontiformes (Lampreys) edit

Petromyzontidae edit

Chimaeriformes (Ratfish) edit

Chimaeridae edit

Lamniformes (Mackerel Sharks) edit

Alopiidae (Thresher sharks) edit

Cetorhinidae (Basking sharks) edit

Lamnidae (Mackerel sharks) edit

Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) edit

 
Leopard shark

Scyliorhinidae (Cat sharks) edit

Triakidae (Hound sharks) edit

Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks) edit

Hexanchiformes (Six-gill sharks) edit

Hexanchidae (Cow sharks) edit

Squaliformes (Dogfish sharks) edit

Squalidae (Dogfish sharks) edit

Somniosidae (Sleeper sharks) edit

Squatiniformes (Angel sharks) edit

 
Pacific angelshark

Squatinidae edit

Torpediniformes (Electric rays) edit

Torpedinidae edit

Rajiformes (Skates) edit

Rajidae edit

Acipenseriformes (Sturgeons) edit

 
White Sturgeon

Acipenseridae edit

Anguilliformes (Eels) edit

Nemichthyidae (Snipe eels) edit

Clupeiformes (Herrings) edit

Engraulidae (Anchovies) edit

Clupeidae (Herrings and sardines) edit

Cypriniformes (Carps) edit

Cyprinidae (Minnows and carps) edit

Argentiniformes (Marine smelts) edit

Bathylagidae (Deep sea smelts) edit

Osmeriformes (Freshwater smelts) edit

Osmeridae (Smelts) edit

Salmoniformes (Trouts) edit

 
Coastal cutthroat trout

Salmonidae (Trouts and salmons) edit

Stomiiformes (Dragonfishes) edit

Sternoptychidae (Marine hatchetfishes) edit

Stomiidae (Dragonfishes) edit

Aulopiformes (Lizardfishes) edit

Synodontidae edit

Alepisauridae (Lancetfishes) edit

Paralepididae (Barracudinas) edit

Myctophiformes (Lanternfishes) edit

Myctophidae edit

Lampriformes (Opahs) edit

Lampridae edit

Trachipteridae (Ribbonfishes) edit

Gadiformes (Cods) edit

Merlucciidae (Merlucciid hakes) edit

Gadidae (Cods) edit

Ophidiiformes (Cusk-eels) edit

Bythitidae (Viviparous brotulas) edit

Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels) edit

Batrachoidiformes (Toadfishes) edit

Batrachoididae edit

Beloniformes (Needlefishes) edit

Scomberesocidae (Sauries) edit

Cyprinodontiformes (Killfishes) edit

Cyprinodontidae (Pupfishes) edit

Gasterosteiformes (Sticklebacks) edit

Aulorhynchidae (Tubesnouts) edit

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

Gasterosteidae (Sticklebacks) edit

Syngnathidae (Pipefishes) edit

Scorpaeniformes (Mail-cheeked fishes) edit

 
Tiger rockfish

Scorpaenidae (Scorpionfishes) edit

Anoplopomatidae (Sablefishes) edit

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

Hexagrammidae (Greenlings) edit

Rhamphocottidae (Grunt sculpins) edit

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

Cottidae (Sculpins) edit

 
Longfin sculpin
 
Fluffy sculpin

Hemitripteridae (Spiny sculpins) edit

 
Sailfin sculpin

Agonidae (Poachers) edit

 
Fourhorn poacher

Psychrolutidae (Fathead sculpins) edit

Cyclopteridae (Lumpfishes) edit

Liparidae (Snailfishes) edit

Perciformes (Perches) edit

Moronidae (Temperate basses) edit

Carangidae (Jacks) edit

Bramidae (Pomfrets) edit

Sciaenidae (Drums and croakers) edit

Embiotocidae (Surfperches) edit

Bathymasteridae (Ronquils) edit

 
Northern ronquil

Zoarcidae (Eelpouts) edit

Stichaeidae (Pricklebacks) edit

Cryptacanthodidae (Wrymouths) edit

Pholidae (Gunnels) edit

Anarhichadidae (Wolffishes) edit

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

Ptilichthyidae (Quillfishes) edit

Zaproridae (Prowfishes) edit

Scytalinidae (Graveldivers) edit

Trichodontidae (Sandfishes) edit

Ammodytidae (Sand lances) edit

Icosteida (Ragfishes) edit

  • Ragfish Icosteus aenigmaticus, JF SJ SG NS SS

Gobiesocidae (Clingfishes) edit

Gobiidae (Gobies) edit

Sphyraenidae (Barracudas) edit

Trichiuridae (Cutlassfishes) edit

Scombridae (Mackerels) edit

Stromateidae (Butterfishes) edit

Pleuronectiformes (Flatfishes) edit

Paralichthyidae (Sand flounders) edit

Pleuronectidae (Righteye flounders) edit

 
Rock sole

Cynoglossidae (Tonguefishes) edit

Tetraodontiformes (Plectognaths) edit

Molidae (Molas) edit

Notes edit

  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. ^ 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)
  6. ^ a b c d e Introduced species
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Anadromous species