Programs
Dedicated to improving understanding of salmon status and trends across the North Pacific.
State of the Salmon
State of the Salmon is a program of the Wild Salmon Center originally launched in 2003 in partnership with Ecotrust. A key vision of the program has been to create international forums where salmon managers, scientists, and conservationists from watersheds across the Pacific Rim can learn from each other's successes and failures and work together to accelerate the adoption of science-based standards for wild salmon conservation. State of the Salmon also partners with international organizations to promote the adoption of practices for fisheries harvest and hatchery operations to ensure the sustainability of wild salmon populations.
In 2003 State of the Salmon completed the first range-wide, map-based assessment for this majestic group of species. Today, we continue to synthesize data and facilitate dialogue in support of sound salmon management and conservation at ever finer geographic scales. A comprehensive set of goals and principles underlies the key initiatives through which we strive to ensure that wild salmon populations thrive long into the future.
State of the Salmon Conference and Workshops
Portland, Oregon, November 15-17, 2011 -"Salmon in a Changing Climate: Practical management options for an era of environmental change", a participatory workshop, will examine whether decisions about management of salmon and their habitats can be practically informed by the newest scientific insights on expected responses of wild Pacific salmon to climate and environmental change. A steering committee of leaders in the management, sustainable harvest, and research sectors will guide the agenda and sessions to ensure diversity of perspectives and creative engagement of participants. Read more.
Portland, Oregon, May 4-7, 2010 - "Ecological Interactions between Wild & Hatchery Salmon", the first international effort to explore the scale and magnitude of the ecological effects of hatcheries, identify important gaps in our knowledge and work towards resolving key issues. Read more.
Vancouver, B.C., Feb 2-5, 2009 - Scientists and policy makers from across the Pacific Rim gathered for four days of scientific exchange and news about wild salmon at the State of the Salmon Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia. Conference participants heard from colleagues and leaders on the latest challenges and opportunities for wild salmon conservation across six nations bordering the North Pacific. Read more.
Accomplishments
- Worked with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to strengthen the criteria used to certify fisheries as sustainable and with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to develop ecolabeling guidelines for fish and fishery products for freshwater fisheries.
- Led the effort to add Sakhalin taimen to the IUCN World Conservation Union Red List of Threatened Species. Sakhalin taimen are the one of the largest and oldest salmonids in the world, capable of living up to 40 years and reaching over 100 pounds. Their presence reflects the health of the rivers in which they live, and Sakhalin taimen are critically endangered throughout their native range in Japan and Russia. The Redlist designation elevates the level of urgency for taking action to prevent further declines and sets a course for conservation.
- Made recommendations for improving fish passage on the Shiretoko Peninsula in Japan which led to the successful removal of over 30 dams in the Shiretoko World Heritage Site.
- Completed a data inventory for all salmon river basins in North America. The inventory offers historic perspectives of management and conservation issues, which will be used to develop stock-status assessments for individual species.
- Hosted a series of conferences, including, "Building the new agenda for North Pacific salmon conservation" in 2005, "Bring the Future into Focus" in 2009, and "Ecological Interactions between Wild and Hatchery Salmon" in 2010. The conferences draws hundreds of salmon specialists from around the world. Participants focus on salmon biology, habitat, management, policy and communication issues. The events help salmon experts throughout the Pacific Rim share best management practices for salmon, and provided a forum for professionals to exchange information and lessons learned.
- Published the Atlas of Pacific Salmon, the first map-based status assessment of salmon in the North Pacific. The Atlas addresses the biological, cultural and economic importance of salmon, as well as the risk of extinction faced by salmon populations along both sides of the Pacific.
Visit State of the Salmon website.