Species of concern in the Salish Sea

The Encyclopedia of Puget Sound species library now includes a list of species of concern in the Salish Sea watershed. The list was created by Joe Gaydos and Jacqlynn Zier of the SeaDoc Society, and was released as a paper presented as part of the Proceedings of the 2016 Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference in Vancouver, BC.

Northern Sea Otter. Photo: Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Northern Sea Otter. Photo: Alaska Department of Fish and Game

The authors write that the number of species of concern can be used as a rough barometer of the health of an ecosystem, indicating a need for special attention and recovery work. The list is based on assessments from four jurisdictions: the State of Washington, the Province of British Columbia, the Canadian Federal Government, and the United States Federal Government. It includes 4 invertebrates, 44 fishes, 2 reptiles, 59 birds and 16 mammals.

Visit the EoPS species library.