Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man came to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! We travel by sea and take only a little water with us. If we use it for ablution, we will be left thirsty. So can we perform ablution with (sea) water? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "The water of the sea is pure and its dead (animals) are lawful."