Salmon
Latest Stories
Business
California closes commercial salmon fishing again in the wake of Trump’s order to put “people over fish”
Salmon fishing is wildly popular in California but has been off limits for the past two years to commercial and recreational fishing due to dwindling stocks.
Environment
Proposed federal cuts jeopardize Pacific salmon habitat restoration, tribal rights
An internal document from the Office of Management and Budget, reviewed by KUOW, calls for eliminating NOAA’s Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, as well as national grant programs for species recovery, interjurisdictional fisheries, and habitat conservation and restoration.
Oregon Field Guide
Salmon return to the Klamath’s Oregon waters, but the river’s headwaters are still blocked
After decades of conflict, farmers and tribes say they’re working in concert to restore salmon habitat in the Klamath Basin. But two dams remain - one that blocks fish passage another that plays a key role for agriculture.
Environment
Environmental groups sue Eugene utility, alleging failure to protect Chinook salmon, bull trout
The groups argued the dam, located about 70 miles east of Eugene on the McKenzie River, has prevented endangered Chinook salmon and bull trout from migrating and blocked access to cold water.
Science & Environment
Dams, power lines and statistics: What the Bonneville Power Administration is and does
Eighty-eight years after its creation by an act of Congress, Bonneville Power is widely viewed as both an engine of prosperity in the Northwest, and — at times — an obstacle to environmental goals and economic growth.
Flatlining salmon and steelhead numbers in the Columbia Basin are a success and a cautionary tale
The rolling 10-year average return has gone up since the 1990s, but is still well short of goals set by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.
Science & Environment
Hydroelectric dams on Oregon’s Willamette River kill salmon. Congress says it’s time to consider shutting them down
The newly signed legislation follows reporting from Oregon Public Broadcasting and ProPublica that underscored the risks and costs associated with a plan to migrate salmon past hydroelectric dams using a giant fish collector and tanker trucks.
‘The Evergreen’: Salmon Wars
We’re sharing an episode from another OPB podcast: “Salmon Wars.” It tells the story of salmon in the Northwest in a way you haven’t heard before — through the voices of one Yakama Nation family who have been fighting for salmon for generations.
‘It just tastes like time’: Salmon are a sacred relative to the Nisqually tribe and Native Americans across the Northwest
The tribe’s Winter Moon Celebration brings the community together to honor their sacred connection to salmon, reflect on environmental challenges, and pass down cultural traditions to future generations.
Test the river, teach the children: Students and salmon pay a fall visit to the Alsea River
The Benton County Salmon Watch program has helped students learn about one of Oregon’s key migrations with hands-on experience for decades.