List of fishes of Washington state

Washington state has a large diversity of marine and freshwater fish found in its waters. the following is a list of species, both native and introduced.

Native Species

Pacific Lamprey

Class Petromyzonti (Lampreys)

Family Petromyzontidae (Northern Lampreys)

• Genus Entosphenus
  • Entosphenus tridentatus (Pacific Lamprey)
• Genus Lampetra
  • Lampetra ayresii (Western River Lamprey)
  • Lampetra richardsoni (Western Brook Lamprey)

Big Skate

Class Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)

Family Rajidae (Skates)

• Genus Beringraja
  • Beringraja binoculata (Big Skate)
• Genus Raja
  • Raja stellulata (Pacific Starry Skate)

Pacific Spurdog

Family Squalidae (Dogfish Sharks)

• Genus Squalus
  • Squalus suckleyi (Pacific Spiny Dogfish)

Family Carcharhinidae (Requiem Sharks)

• Genus Prionace
  • Prionace glauca (Blue Shark)
• Genus Carcharhinus
  • Carcharhinus obscurus (Dusky Shark) — Uncommon visitor

Salmon Shark

Family Lamnidae (Mackerel Sharks)

• Genus Lamna
  • Lamna ditropis (Salmon Shark)
• Genus Carcharodon
  • Carcharodon carcharias (White Shark) — Rare seasonal visitor
• Genus Cetorhinus
  • Cetorhinus maximus (Basking Shark) — Seasonal visitor

Family Alopiidae (Thresher Sharks)

• Genus Alopias
  • Alopias vulpinus (Common Thresher Shark)

Broadnose Sevengill Shark

Family Hexanchidae (Cow Sharks)

• Genus Notorynchus
• Genus Hexanchus
  • Notorynchus cepedianus (Broadnose Sevengill Shark)
  • Hexanchus griseus (Bluntnose Sixgill Shark)

Spotted Ratfish

Family Chimaeridae (Shortnose Chimaeras)

• Genus Hydrolagus
  • Hydrolagus colliei (Spotted Ratfish)

Class Actinopterygii (Ray-Finned Fishes)

White Sturgeon

Family Acipenseridae (Sturgeons)

• Genus Acipenser
  • Acipenser medirostris (Green Sturgeon)
  • Acipenser transmontanus (White Sturgeon)

Family Clupeidae (Herrings, Shads, and Sardines)

• Genus Alosa
  • Alosa sapidissima (American Shad)
• Genus Clupea
  • Clupea pallasii (Pacific Herring)

Family Salmonidae (Salmon, Trout, Chars, and Whitefish)

• Genus Oncorhynchus
  • Oncorhynchus clarkii (Cutthroat Trout)
  • Oncorhynchus gorbuscha (Pink Salmon)
  • Oncorhynchus keta (Chum Salmon)
  • Oncorhynchus kisutch (Coho Salmon)

    

    The Steelhead Trout is washington's state fish

  • Oncorhynchus mykiss (Rainbow Trout / Steelhead)

    

    Sockeye Salmon

  • Oncorhynchus nerka (Sockeye Salmon / Kokanee)
  • Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Chinook Salmon)
• Genus Salvelinus
  • Salvelinus confluentus (Bull Trout)

  • 

    Dolly Varden Trout

    Salvelinus malma (Dolly Varden)
• Genus Prosopium
  • Prosopium cylindraceum (Mountain Whitefish)
• Genus Coregonus
  • Coregonus clupeaformis (Lake Whitefish)
  • Coregonus zenithicus (Shortjaw Cisco)

Family Osmeridae (Smelts)

• Genus Hypomesus
  • Hypomesus pretiosus (Surf Smelt)
  • Hypomesus transpacificus (Longfin Smelt)
• Genus Spirinchus
  • Spirinchus thaleichthys (Longfin Smelt)
• Genus Thaleichthys
  • Thaleichthys pacificus (Eulachon)

Family Umbridae (Mudminnows)

• Genus Novumbra

  • 

    Olympic Mudminnow, Washington's only endemic freshwater fish

    Novumbra hubbsi (Olympic Mudminnow)

Family Esocidae (Pikes)

• Genus Esox
  • Esox lucius (Northern Pike) — Introduced

Family Cyprinidae (Carps and Minnows)

• Genus Acrocheilus
  • Acrocheilus alutaceus (Chiselmouth)
• Genus Mylocheilus
  • Mylocheilus caurinus (Peamouth)
• Genus Ptychocheilus
  • Ptychocheilus oregonensis (Northern Pikeminnow)
• Genus Richardsonius
  • Richardsonius balteatus (Redside Shiner)
• Genus Rhinichthys
  • Rhinichthys cataractae (Longnose Dace)
  • Rhinichthys osculus (Speckled Dace)

Family Catostomidae (Suckers)

• Genus Catostomus

  • 

    Longnose Sucker

    Catostomus catostomus (Longnose Sucker)
  • Catostomus columbianus (Bridgelip Sucker)
  • Catostomus macrocheilus (Largescale Sucker)
  • Catostomus platyrhynchus (Mountain Sucker)

Family Gadidae (Cods)

• Genus Microgadus

  • 

    Pacific cod

    Microgadus proximus (Pacific Tomcod)
• Genus Gadus
  • Gadus macrocephalus (Pacific Cod)

Family Gasterosteidae (Sticklebacks)

• Genus Gasterosteus

  • 

    Ninespine Stickleback

    Gasterosteus aculeatus (Threespine Stickleback)
• Genus Pungitius
  • Pungitius pungitius (Ninespine Stickleback)

Slimy Sculpin

Family Cottidae (Sculpins)

• Genus Cottus
  • Cottus aleuticus (Coastrange Sculpin)
  • Cottus asper (Prickly Sculpin)
  • Cottus cognatus (Slimy Sculpin)
  • Cottus confusus (Shorthead Sculpin)
  • Cottus perifretum (Riffle Sculpin)
  • Cottus rhotheus (Torrent Sculpin)
• Genus Oligocottus
  • Oligocottus maculosus (Mosshead Sculpin)
• Genus Scorpaenichthys
  • Scorpaenichthys marmoratus (Cabezon)

Striped seaperch

Family Embiotocidae (Surfperches)

• Genus Cymatogaster
  • Cymatogaster aggregata (Shiner Perch)
• Genus Embiotoca
  • Embiotoca lateralis (Striped Seaperch)
• Genus Phanerodon
  • Phanerodon furcatus (White Seaperch)
• Genus Rhacochilus
  • Rhacochilus vacca (Pile Perch)

kelp greenling

Family Percopsidae (Trout-Perch)

• Genus Percopsis
  • Percopsis omiscomaycus (Trout-Perch)

Family Anoplopomatidae (Sablefishes)

• Genus Anoplopoma
  • Anoplopoma fimbria (Sablefish)

Family Hexagrammidae (Greenlings)

• Genus Hexagrammos
  • Hexagrammos decagrammus (Kelp Greenling)
  • Hexagrammos lagocephalus (Rock Greenling)
• Genus Ophiodon
  • Ophiodon elongatus (Lingcod)

Pacific halibut

Family Pleuronectidae (Righteye Flounders)

• Genus Eopsetta
  • Eopsetta jordani (Petrale Sole)
• Genus Hippoglossus
  • Hippoglossus stenolepis (Pacific Halibut)
• Genus Lepidopsetta
  • Lepidopsetta bilineata (Rock Sole)
• Genus Platichthys
  • Platichthys stellatus (Starry Flounder)
• Genus Pleuronichthys
  • Pleuronichthys coenosus (C-O Sole)
• Genus Microstomus
  • Microstomus pacificus (Dover Sole)

Family Cynoglossidae (Tonguefishes)

• Genus Symphurus
  • Symphurus atricaudus (California Tonguefish)

Introduced Species

The following is a list of notable fish species that have been introduced to Washington state and have established self-sustaining populations.

Common Carp

Family Cyprinidae (Carps and Minnows)

• Genus Cyprinus
  • Cyprinus carpio (Common Carp)
• Genus Ctenopharyngodon
  • Ctenopharyngodon idella (Grass Carp) — Sterile populations introduced for vegetation control
• Genus Hypophthalmichthys
  • Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Silver Carp)
  • Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (Bighead Carp)

Brook trout

Family Salmonidae (Salmon, Trout, Chars, and Whitefish)

• Genus Salmo
  • Salmo trutta (Brown Trout)
  • Salvelinus fontinalis (Brook Trout)
• Genus Oncorhynchus
  • Oncorhynchus aguabonita (Golden Trout) — Stocked in high alpine lakes
• Genus Prosopium
  • Prosopium williamsoni (Mountain Whitefish) — Native to parts of WA, introduced to others

Smallmouth bass

Family Centrarchidae (Sunfishes)

• Genus Lepomis
  • Lepomis gibbosus (Pumpkinseed)
  • Lepomis macrochirus (Bluegill)
  • Lepomis microlophus (Redear Sunfish)
• Genus Micropterus
  • Micropterus dolomieu (Smallmouth Bass)
  • Micropterus salmoides (Largemouth Bass)
• Genus Pomoxis
  • Pomoxis annularis (White Crappie)
  • Pomoxis nigromaculatus (Black Crappie)

Brown Bullhead

Family Ictaluridae (North American Catfishes)

• Genus Ictalurus
  • Ictalurus punctatus (Channel Catfish)
• Genus Ameiurus
  • Ameiurus melas (Black Bullhead)
  • Ameiurus natalis (Yellow Bullhead)

Family Esocidae (Pikes)

• Genus Esox

  • 

    Northern pike

    Esox lucius (Northern Pike) — Illegally introduced, invasive

Family Percidae (Perches)

• Genus Perca
  • Perca flavescens (Yellow Perch)
• Genus Sander
  • Sander vitreus (Walleye)

Family Moronidae (Temperate Basses)

• Genus Morone
  • Morone chrysops (White Bass) — Introduced in some impoundments

References

• "Burke Museum Ichthyology Collection". University of Washington. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
• "Fish Facts: Species Index". Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
• "Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database - Washington". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
• "Protected Species of the West Coast". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
• "Species at Risk in Washington". Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
• "West Coast Region: Protected Resources". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries. Retrieved 22 May 2024.