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Two people kayaking during sunset over a calm body of water, with driftwood scattered on the beach in the foreground and the sillouette of land in the distance.

Each year, the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program releases the annual Puget Sound Marine Waters Overview report. The latest report combines a wealth of data from comprehensive monitoring programs and provides a concise summary of what was happening in Puget Sound’s marine waters during 2023. The report represents the collective effort of 67 contributors from federal, tribal, state, and local agencies, academia, nonprofits, and private and volunteer groups.


Close-up of a shark partially submerged in water, showcasing its dorsal fin and textured, spotted skin.

Recent discoveries of two new shark species in Puget Sound have sparked public interest and may encourage greater conservation efforts. In this seven-part series, Christopher Dunagan provides an overview of sharks in Puget Sound and some of the recent work among scientists to protect these often misunderstood creatures. 


View of a shark swimming underwater above rocks.

Soupfin sharks were not known to occur in Puget Sound until one was hooked by a fisherman in 2022. Scientists say warming oceans from a changing climate may be bringing more of the species into local waters. Our series on the sharks of Puget Sound continues with a closer look at soupfins and why they are being considered for inclusion on the Endangered Species List.    


A large grey shark swimming against a dark background above seapens attached to a rock.

Bluntnose sixgill sharks are among the largest sharks in the world, reaching lengths of almost 16 feet. Research shows that Puget Sound may be an important place for sixgills to give birth and raise their young. We continue with part three of our series on Puget Sound's sharks. 


A shark lying on sand with a small, driftwood log and sea foam behind it.

The Pacific spiny dogfish is the most abundant shark in Puget Sound, despite its former decline due to overfishing in the 20th century. Part four of our series on sharks looks at this well-known Puget Sound resident and what is being learned about its migratory habits.    


Collage with images of five species of sharks.

While several shark species are observed more frequently off the coast of Washington than in Puget Sound, some are seen on rare occasions in the inland waterways. Detailed information on these sharks is limited, but the same thing might have been said for sixgills, sevengills and soupfin sharks until recent discoveries opened the door to new research. Part five of our series on Puget Sound's sharks outlines some of our region's lesser known shark species. The following information comes from various sources, including fishing and scuba diving reports, scientific studies and the book “Fishes of the Salish Sea” by Theodore Pietsch and James Orr.


A child points at shark swimming behind glass of an aquarium.

Local shark experts say people are often surprised to find that sharks are not ruthless eating machines; rather  these animals display complex social behaviors and even personalities. They say the more that people learn about sharks, the more they will want to protect them. Our series on Puget Sound's sharks continues with part six of seven. 


A pair of hands holding a fishing rod curving down toward open water.

In the final installment of our series on sharks in Puget Sound, we look at how fishing regulations have changed to protect potentially vulnerable shark species. Experts say more regulations may be needed as research evolves.  


Report cover with text and image of salmon swimming underwater.

The extensive loss or modification of estuaries throughout Puget Sound creates a significant challenge for adult salmon as they migrate to their natal streams to spawn. A 2024 report by University of Washington scientist Thomas Quinn looks at how different species of salmonids use estuaries to move from marine to freshwater environments. The report was commissioned by the University of Washington Puget Sound Institute with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency's National Estuary Program. 


A pair of dolphins leaping out of water side by side.

Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) are found in the colder offshore waters of the North Pacific, but they also occasionally occur in inshore waters of the Salish Sea, and more rarely, Puget Sound. They make use of cooperative foraging techniques, and feeding at night in dark conditions means their finely tuned sonar or echolocation serves them well.


Image of dark blue ocean water surface overlaid with a light blue double helix graphic.

Scientists can now identify the presence of species just by testing the water for traces of DNA. The relatively new technique is being compared to the invention of the telescope or the microscope as a significant new tool for understanding ecosystems like Puget Sound. It could be a revolution for tracking the movements of all kinds of species, from salmon and killer whales to invasive green crabs. 


Cruises of the R.V. Brown Bear 1952 – 1965 (cover)

The University of Washington research vessel R.V. Brown Bear made 381 scientific cruises between 1952 and 1965.


1977 The Use, Study, and Management of Puget Sound Symposium Proceedings (cover)

"Since man is sometlmes nearsighted in establishing the routes to achleve his goals, it is good practice to review those routes occasionally to see if indeed the correct track is being folIowed." – Alyn  C. Duxbury, 1977

The 1977 sypmposium, The Use, Study, and Management of Puget Sound, posed questions about the uses of Puget Sound, the regulations that govern the uses, and the effects of those policies on the environment and its users.


2001 Puget Sound Research Conference Abstracts and Biographies (cover)

The Pugert Sound Action Team and generous co-sponsors, including state and federal agencies, local governments, universities, and businesses, convened the fifth Puget Sound Research Conference in 2001 in Bellevue, Washington.


2007 Puget Sound Georgia Basin Research Conference: Abstracts and Biographies (cover)

Over 900 delegates attended and participated in the 2007 Georgia Basin Puget Sound Research Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia.


2005 Puget Sound Georgia Basin Ecosystem Conference: Abstracts and Biographies (cover)

On March 29-31, 850 scientists, First Nations and Tribal government representatives, resource managers, community leaders, policy makers, educators and students convened at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. to share science and information about the condition and management of the shared Puget Sound Georgia Basin ecosystem.


Aerial view of Puget Sound showing multiple rivers and inlets. The text reads ‘The role of estuaries in the ecology of juvenile Pacific salmon and trout in Puget Sound’ by Thomas P. Quinn from the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington.

This overview describes the different ways that juvenile Pacific salmon and trout use estuaries, and why those differences are important for ecosystem recovery efforts. The report was commissioned by the University of Washington Puget Sound Institute with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency's National Estuary Program. 


An open motor boat sitting in sill water as to people place a fishing net across the channel.

The Stillaguamish River is home to what may be the most endangered stock of Chinook salmon in all of Puget Sound. What scientists are learning here at the Stillaguamish estuary on Port Susan Bay could help turn the tide for these fish and other salmon around the region. 


A fin whale spouting water as it surfaces.

Fin whales are the second-largest species of animal on the planet. Their occasional presence in the Salish Sea is notable because they are rare and listed as Endangered federally and in Washington State. Sightings today are considered most likely to occur in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which is closest to their migration route on the outer coast. Fin whales inhabit deep, oceanic waters, however, at least 14 sightings of four different fin whales have been documented in inland waters in the past decade. This suggests a possible increase in their use of local waters.


Residents and Bigg’s killer whales will be listed as subspecies by the Society for Marine Mammalogy. Here, in this 2013 photo, several southern residents pass by Seattle in Puget Sound. // Photo: Candace Emmons, NOAA

A formal proposal to designate resident and Bigg’s killer whales as separate species has been rejected by a committee widely recognized as the authority in naming new marine mammal species.


A group of black and white killer whales swimming in open water.

Scientists are making the case that the world's orcas should be divided into two new species. Voting for the proposed change was scheduled to take place last week at the Society for Marine Mammalogy. [Update: Read about the decision here.]


A western pond turtle perched on log next water.

The Puget Sound region is known for its salmon-filled estuaries and coastal forests, but on the southern portion of its range, evergreens give way to small patches of rolling grasslands that are home to some of Washington's rarest species. One of those species, the northwestern pond turtle, was recently proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act. A captive breeding program is preparing these turtles for the challenges of life in the wild.


Wade out into the shallows of Puget Sound on a warm, sunny day and put your ear close to the water. You might catch the faint, champagne-like bubbling of eelgrass.


Three people wearing chest waders walking on a mudflat with blue sky above.

Tidal wetlands are crucial to Chinook salmon recovery but are among the most threatened habitats in Puget Sound. In 2012, The Nature Conservancy began restoring a 150-acre section of tidal marsh on Port Susan Bay at the mouth of the Stillaguamish River. That project is entering a new phase and may soon connect with other adjacent restoration efforts put forth by the Stillaguamish Tribe. 


A chum salmon in spawning condition swimming in shallow water.

Summer chum salmon in Hood Canal are making a remarkable comeback. Could it be enough to support their removal from the Endangered Species List?