Which other fish and sea animals were important foods on the Northwest Coast?

In addition to the five species of salmon that served as a primary food source, the peoples of the Northwest Coast relied on a variety of other aquatic resources to sustain their communities.123

Important fish and sea animals included:

• Fish: Herring, which arrived in large schools to spawn in coves; oil-rich candlefish (eulachon), which entered rivers; smelt, which spawned on sandy beaches; cod; and halibut, which was caught offshore.13
• Marine Mammals: Gray whales were hunted at sea, a practice that required specialized watercraft.13
• Shellfish: Various types of mollusks were gathered as a consistent part of the diet.12

These resources were highly valued for their nutritional content and were often preserved for winter consumption through smoking and drying. The abundance of these aquatic foods allowed for the development of complex, stratified societies, as groups could effectively manage and store these natural resources.12