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45-570: The Salish Sea ( / ˈ s eɪ l ɪ ʃ / SAY -lish ) is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean located in the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington . It includes the Strait of Georgia , the Strait of Juan de Fuca , Puget Sound , and an intricate network of connecting channels and adjoining waterways . The sea stretches from the channels of

90-572: A disastrous conflict with the Suquamish devastated the Chimakum, effectively wiping them out. According to Wahélchu of the Suquamish, various conflicts and tensions between the Suquamish and Chimakum had reached the point where the Suquamish decided to launch a "war of extermination" as soon as some immediate provocation was offered. At least two pretexts for war soon came to pass and a war party

135-492: A dozer doing some work around the Chimacum Creek area, and after proper excavation by Lewis Agnew, a retired archaeologist recently relocated to Port Townsend, two Indian skeletal remains were unearthed with stone arrows still lodged in their bones from sometime prior to the road being constructed through that area in 1860. The Indian skeletons were of individuals killed violently and left for an earthen burial rather than

180-685: A maximum depth of 670 m (2,200 ft) in Jervis Inlet . The Transboundary Georgia Basin–Puget Sound Environmental Indicators Working Group defines the limits of the Salish Sea as: On the West. The entrance to Juan de Fuca Strait (a line between Cape Flattery and Carmanah Point ). On the South. The south end of Puget Sound (the head of Budd Inlet ). On the North. Extends just beyond

225-433: A predisposition for violence and disagreement with neighboring tribes for their demise. It is thought that marriage and interbreeding amongst tribes may account for some linguistic similarity. Franz Boas, considered one of the main authorities on local Indian linguistics, cites a tribal member named Louise as his source for over 1200 original Chimakum words and dialects. Louise, a dual speaker of both Clallam and Chimakum,

270-462: A total area of about 110,000 km (42,000 sq mi), which is over six times the surface area of the sea itself. Major rivers discharging into the sea include the Fraser River , Nisqually River , Nooksack River , Puyallup River , Skagit River , Snohomish River , and Squamish River . The flow of fresh water into the Salish Sea from numerous rivers and the introduction of salt from

315-619: A volley of bullets. Many of the Chimakum villagers rushed to help the man and his family. Seeing the village mostly empty, the Suquamish rushed through the woods and entered the village from behind. Once their numbers inside the stockade were sufficient, the Suquamish opened fire upon the Chimakum inside the village. The Chimakum were taken completely by surprise and found themselves unable to resist or escape. According to Edward S. Curtis , recounting Wahélchu's telling, "the rapid rain of bullets mowed them down." Women and children were captured and taken away as slaves. The Suquamish paddled away, leaving

360-575: Is "Selish Lake". The name Salish Sea was coined only in the late 20th century. No overarching title exists for this area or even a commonly shared name for any of the waterbodies in any of the Coast Salish languages. The waterways of the Salish Sea were important trade routes for the Coast Salish, and they remain a source of food and other resources for the Indigenous peoples . The basin includes territory of not only Coast Salish peoples, but also

405-475: Is a tribal language thought to be similar in lexicographic and phonetic aspect with very little diversion to the Quileute language, implying that the Chimakum, Salishan and Wakashan tribes may be proved to be genetically related. The Chimakum language was described as "unintelligible to their neighbors" and other tribal members described the language as "speak like birds", citing this language barrier along with

450-744: Is or was also known variously as the Georgia–Puget or Puget–Georgia Basin, or in the singular as the Georgia Depression , the Georgia Basin or Puget Sound, et al. The Canadian half of the region was named in 1792 by George Vancouver , and often remains referred to as the Gulf of Georgia , a term which encompasses the Strait of Georgia and all other waters peripheral to it, as well as to the communities lining its shores or on its islands. Like

495-656: Is sometimes also considered a marginal sea of the Atlantic. (coast-wise from north to south) (from east to west) While all other seas in the world are defined at least in part by land boundaries, there is only one sea which is defined only by ocean currents: Entities called "seas" which are not divisions of the World Ocean are not included in this list. Excluded are: Chimakum The Chimakum , also spelled Chemakum and Chimacum Native American people (known to themselves as Aqokúlo and sometimes called

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540-462: Is the most densely populated island with 354 residents/km (916 residents/mi) as of 2019. The largest island by far on the Canadian side is Texada Island of 300.45 km (116.00 sq mi), but a population of 1000–2000 people. The Salish Sea sits within the Georgia Depression , a large depression that formed out of the collision of continental plates about 150 million years ago . The depression

585-920: The Discovery Islands north of the Strait of Georgia to Budd Inlet at the south end of Puget Sound. It is partially separated from the open Pacific Ocean by Vancouver Island and the Olympic Peninsula . Much of the coast is part of the Pacific Northwest megalopolis . The region is anchored by Metro Vancouver to the north, and Metro Seattle to the south. Other principal cities on the Salish Sea include Bellingham , Port Angeles , Port Townsend , Everett , Tacoma , Olympia , and Bremerton in Washington, and Victoria and Nanaimo in British Columbia. As of 2021,

630-797: The Northern Wakashan Kwakwaka'wakw and Southern Wakashan peoples (the Nuu-chah-nulth, Makah , and Ditidaht ) and, formerly, that of the Chimakum (a Chimakuan people related to the Quileute , who no longer exist as a recognizable group, having been wiped out by the Suquamish and others in the 19th century). In March 2008, the Chemainus First Nation proposed renaming the Georgia Strait

675-629: The Port Townsend Indians ), were a group of Native Americans who lived in the northeastern portion of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state , between Hood Canal and Discovery Bay until their virtual extinction in 1902. Their primary settlements were on Port Townsend Bay , on the Quimper Peninsula , and Port Ludlow Bay to the south. Today, Chimakum people are enrolled in three federally recognized tribes :

720-521: The Skokomish , Jamestown S'Klallam , and Port Gamble S'Klallam tribes, although lineage is not traceable at present. The Chimakum population was estimated at 400 in 1780 and 90 in 1855. The Census of 1910 enumerated just three, according to the census of Franz Boas. The three remaining tribe members spoke only broken Chimakum language. In the present day there are people who identify as Chimakums or descendants of Chimakums. The Chemakum language

765-790: The Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound , as well as the Strait of Georgia and related waters under the name Salish Sea. In August 2009, the British Columbia Geographical Names Office approved a resolution recommending that the Geographical Names Board of Canada adopt the name Salish Sea contingent on approval by the United States Board on Geographic Names . The name was endorsed by the Washington State Board on Geographic Names in late October 2009. It

810-596: The brackish , nutrient-rich, conditions. As with all marine food webs, the Salish Sea features a range of trophic groups, with autotrophic algae acting as primary producers. The fluvial systems draining British Columbia and Washington introduce large volumes of sediment and dissolved nutrients into the Salish Sea. The Salish Sea hosts a diverse community of kelp species that provide large volumes of high-quality habitat in areas with hard, rocky substrates . The largest of these kelp species include bull kelp and giant kelp . Eelgrass meadows are abundant throughout

855-558: The "Salish Sea", an idea that reportedly met with approval by British Columbia's Aboriginal Relations Minister Mike de Jong , who pledged to put it before the Executive Council of British Columbia for discussion. Making the name "Salish Sea" official required a formal application to the Geographical Names Board of Canada . A parallel American movement promoting the name had a different definition, combining

900-542: The Chemakum language, and they spoke it imperfectly. The Census of 1910 reflects only three speakers of broken Chemakum dialect. Language was considered to be a primary communication barrier between the tribes of the Peninsula. Each tribe was known to have their own dialect, including the Chimakum, making communication for trading and other purposes difficult between the Chimakum and other tribes. The Chimakum language

945-695: The Chimakums were nearly extinct at the time of the Point No Point Treaty and that those few Chimakums left had been absorbed into the Klallam tribe. The Klallams had occupied the former Chimakum lands and claimed them as their own. In 1957 the commission recognized the Klallam claim of possession of the Chimakum lands at the time of the treaty and granted compensation of over $ 400,000. In 1962, skeletal remains of slain Indians were discovered by

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990-695: The Klallams to move to the Skokomish Reservation, but few did. In 1936–37 the federal government established Klallam reservations for the Lower Elwha and Port Gamble communities. The Jamestown community was not federally recognized until 1981. The Klallams filed a claim with the Indian Claims Commission for compensation beyond that already received for lands ceded under the Point No Point Treaty. The Klallams claimed that

1035-486: The Point No Point Treaty that they would be given the means to continue fishing and hunting as they always had if they agreed to consolidate with other tribes at the head of the Skokomish river mouth. At the time of the Point No Point Treaty in 1855, the tribe was not viable for relocation to the Skokomish reservation because of the population decline through warfare, attrition to the Klallam tribe, and disease depletion of

1080-568: The Quimper Peninsula and along Hood Canal, about 2000 Clallams spread in 16 villages from Discovery to Clallam Bay, another 2000 Makahs and Ozettes at Neah Bay and west of Lake Ozette, and another 500 Quileutes to the south, making the number of native peoples roughly about 6000. Shortly before 1790 they were fighting a number of tribes, including the Snohomish , Snoqualmie , Klallam, Makah , and Ditidaht (or Nitinaht ). In 1847,

1125-942: The Salish Sea are part of the WWF -designated Puget lowland forests and Central Pacific coastal forests ecoregions . Of the 172 bird species found in the area, 72 are highly dependent on the marine ecosystem for their food. Since August 20, 2007, at least 20 detached human feet have been found on the coasts of the Salish Sea. The first discovery, on August 20, 2007, was on Jedediah Island in British Columbia. List of seas on Earth#Terminology There are several terms used for bulges of ocean that result from indentations of land, which overlap in definition, and which are not consistently differentiated: Many features could be considered to be more than one of these, and all of these terms are used in place names inconsistently; especially bays, gulfs, and bights, which can be very large or very small. This list includes large areas of water no matter

1170-494: The Strait of Georgia to include those channels and waterways where the floodstream or tidal surge is from the south: Discovery Passage south of Seymour Narrows , Sutil Channel south of Penn Islands, Lewis Channel , Waddington Channel and Pendrell Sound , Desolation Sound , and the southern portion of Homfray Channel . The watershed of the Salish Sea (not including the Upper Fraser River watershed) has

1215-423: The Strait of Georgia. The Salish Sea contains more than 400 islands, most of which can be grouped into one of three island groups: the Discovery Islands , Gulf Islands , and San Juan Islands . Whidbey Island in Washington is the largest and most populous island with a total area of 436.9 km (168.7 sq mi) and an estimated population of 69,480 as of 2010. Bainbridge Island , also in Washington,

1260-521: The Strait of Juan de Fuca create a salinity gradient , which varies considerably depending on seasonal changes in ocean currents and river discharge . The Fraser River is the single largest source of freshwater with an average discharge rate of 3,475 m/s (122,700 cu ft/s) and a maximum discharge rate of 17,000 m/s (600,000 cu ft/s). Residence times at intermediate depths average 60 days in Puget Sound and 160 days in

1305-542: The formation of glass sponge reefs . These reefs were believed to have gone extinct during or shortly after the Cretaceous period , until a large collection of existing reefs were discovered off the British Columbia Coast in 1987. Due to their scientific and ecological importance, all known sponge reefs in the Salish Sea are protected from bottom-contact fishing activities. The lowlands surrounding

1350-491: The last Chimakum village in ruins and nearly all of the people either dead or captured. One of the few Suquamish who died in the encounter was Chief Seattle's eldest son. The few surviving Chimakum, including the primary chief who had gone upstream early that morning, subsequently joined the Twana, or Skokomish , at the head of Hood Canal. The Chemakum were strictly opposed to leaving their grounds, despite being promised under

1395-479: The main cultural and linguistic branches of a larger group known as Salishan or Salish. Five divisions of the Salish language family are recognized, with Coast Salish and Interior Salish being the primary two. The Salish family consists of 23 separate languages. European and American explorers first encountered Salishan people along the Pacific Northwest coast in the late 18th century. The first detailed information

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1440-653: The region is home to 8.76 million people. The first known use of the term "Salish Sea" was in 1988 when Bert Webber, a geography and environmental social studies professor emeritus in Huxley College of the Environment at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington , created the name for the combined waters in the region with the intention to complement the names Georgia Strait, Puget Sound, and Strait of Juan de Fuca, not replace them. The adoption of

1485-599: The shallower regions of the sea. The Salish Sea is home to 253 fish species representing 78 families and 31 orders. These species encompass one myxinid , two petromyzontids , 18 chondrichthyans , two chondrosteans , and 230 teleosts . In addition, the sea hosts 37 marine mammal species, most notably Steller sea lions , humpback whales , and killer whales (orcas). While mammal-eating transient orcas are gradually increasing in population, fish-eating southern resident orcas have struggled to survive due to low salmon populations and inbreeding. In 2019, this orca population

1530-792: The term "Puget Sound", the terms "Georgia Strait" and "Gulf of Georgia" refer to the general region, as well as the body of water. The Salish Sea is about 440 km (270 mi) long and has a surface area of about 18,000 km (6,900 sq mi), which is roughly the same size as the Gulf of Riga in Northern Europe . This combines the total surface area of the Strait of Georgia (6,400 km or 2,471 mi), Strait of Juan de Fuca (4,400 km or 1,699 mi), Puget Sound (2,500 km or 965 mi), Desolation Sound (1,100 km or 425 mi), and various other bodies of water (3,600 km or 1,390 mi). The sea has an average depth of 130 m (430 ft) and reaches

1575-470: The term used in the name. The largest terrestrial seas, in decreasing order of area, are: Seas may be considered marginal between ocean and land, or between oceans in which case they may be treated as marginal parts of either. There is no single ultimate authority on the matter. (clockwise from 180°) In addition to the marginal seas listed in the three subsections below, the Arctic Ocean itself

1620-469: The term, he said, would raise consciousness about taking care of the region's waters and ecosystems. Webber's efforts are credited with the official recognition of the term in Canada and the U.S. The Coast Salish are the indigenous peoples who live in southwest British Columbia and northwest Washington along the Salish Sea and share a common linguistic and cultural origin. The Coast Salish are seen as one of

1665-573: The tribe. After the near extinction of the Chimakum their country was occupied by the Klallam. In 1855, the Twana and Chimakum, along with the Klallam, signed the Point No Point Treaty , which established a reservation at the mouth of the Skokomish River near the southern end of Hood Canal. One of the Chimakum signatories of the treaty was Chief Kulkakhan, also known as General Pierce. The Point No Point Treaty required

1710-762: Was able to verbally recite words for Boas to document into his extensive logging of local Native American Languages in the Pacific Northwest Region. According to Quileute tradition, the Chimakum were a remnant of a Quileute band. The Chimakum had been carried away in their canoes by a great flood through a passageway in the Olympic Mountains and deposited on the other side of the Olympic Peninsula. The last remaining floods of this region were thought to be 3000 years ago. Around 1789, there were about 400 Chimacum Indians living on

1755-673: Was approved by the United States Board on Geographic Names on November 12, 2009, and by the British Columbia Geographical Names Office in February 2010. The French name Mer des Salish is also official in Canada. In a 2019 survey of residents in the general vicinity of the Salish Sea, only 9% of Washingtonians and 15% of British Columbians were able to correctly identify and name the Salish Sea. The region encompassing these waterways

1800-401: Was at a 35-year low after three adult deaths and no surviving calves over three years, leaving only 73 whales in the community. In 2021, an upsurge may occur in the humpback whale population with a record 21 humpback calves spotted in Salish waters. Sea otters have been increasingly observed within the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The mineral-rich waters of the Salish Sea are an ideal habitat for

1845-437: Was named Tsetsibus, or C'íc'abus, and had long been an important gathering place. The Suquamish warriors hid themselves near the village and waited for a good chance to attack. A Chimakum family left the village and headed north, passing by the hidden Suquamish. The father was recognized as the man responsible for the death of respected Suquamish Tulébot, which had been one of the pretexts for war. The Suquamish immediately fired

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1890-532: Was obtained by the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804–1806. The term "Salish" was originally applied only to the Interior Salish Flathead tribe living in the region of Flathead Lake , Montana. By the mid-20th century, it had been extended to cover all people speaking a similar language. The Flathead Nation continues to refer to their language and culture as Salish. A variant name for Flathead Lake

1935-454: Was one of two Chimakuan languages and very similar to the Quileute language . It is now extinct . It was spoken until the 1940s on the east side of the Olympic Peninsula between Port Townsend and Hood Canal. The name Chimakum (or Chemakum) is an Anglicized version of a Salishan word for the Chimakum people, such as the Twana word čə́bqəb [t͡ʃə́bqəb] (earlier [t͡ʃə́mqəm] ). In 1890 anthropologist Franz Boas found only three speakers of

1980-458: Was organized. Because Chief Kitsap , the Suquamish war chief, was either dead or unable to lead, Chief Seattle , for whom the city of Seattle was named, became the leader of the war against the Chimakum. The Suquamish under Chief Seattle were assisted by about 150 Klallam warriors. Before long, the Chimakum were confined to one village with a stockade, located near the mouth of Chimakum Creek, near present-day Irondale . The village stronghold

2025-544: Was then carved by the advance and retreat of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet during the Vashon Glaciation , which lasted from about 19,000 – 16,000 BP . The retreat of the ice sheet revealed a scarred landscape that filled in with sea water once it had retreated beyond what is now the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Salish Sea supports an active and dynamic marine ecosystem, dominated by species suited to

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