The Puget Sound Basin is located in the Pacific Northwest, as part of an inlet of the Pacific Ocean and the Salish Sea. This means that the area comprises the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington.
The Puget Sound Basin is particularly important to the economy of the state of Washington because of two main resources: water and animal species. The Puget Sound Basin contains surface and ground-water resources that play an important economic and ecological role. The resource is economically important because it provides water for an expanding population, hydroelectric power, recreational opportunities and an ecosystem that sustains fishery.
While fishery is also a major economic contribution of this area, some factors have made this business less sustainable. These include the loss of aquatic habitat, unsustainable agricultural practices in the region, washoff of metals, pesticides and petroleum products and nutrient enrichment of lakes and embayments. This means that populations of the species in the region have decreased in recent years.
