Salish Sea

American  

[sey-lish see] / ˈseɪ lɪʃ ˈsi /

noun

1. a marginal sea of the Pacific waters of Washington State and British Columbia, Canada, comprising Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Strait of Georgia. 6,900 sq. mi. (18,000 sq. km).

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Etymology

Origin of Salish Sea

First recorded in 1985–90; named after the Coast Salish ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Salish Sea

And they use tools -- research last year showed a critically endangered population of orcas in the Salish Sea breaking off pieces of seaweed to rub and groom each other.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

The team found that inner coast transients, estimated at roughly 350 individuals, typically stayed about six kilometers from shore in relatively shallow areas such as the Salish Sea.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 20, 2025

Spaal’ the Raven and Smuy the little deer are neighbors who live next to the Salish Sea.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 25, 2024

Ben Goldfarb, a nature journalist who is currently writing a book about fish, noted that dams still affect the orcas that inhabit the Salish Sea off Washington state and British Columbia.

From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2024

The addition of more than 300 laden tanker transits per year is a “meaningful increase” in overall Salish Sea tanker traffic, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology, which tracks large commercial vessel entries.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 29, 2024