To protect the species, many changes must be incorporated in our way of life, including what we can do with the land, how we use water, and how we conduct routine activities that support our urban society. The ESA listings provide federally mandated protection not only for the species themselves, but for all of their habitat. Because salmon utilize such a large and diverse area of land and water throughout their life cycle, this essentially means that everyone working and living anywhere in the Puget Sound region will feel the impacts of these listings. The Puget Sound region includes 12 counties and 18 watersheds from the Canadian border south to Olympia, the Washington state capitol. Developers and private property owners face more stringent development regulations.
Farmers face more stringent agricultural regulations.
However, it is critical to understand that salmon are indicators of ecosystem health. Unhealthy salmon runs mean unhealthy ecosystems. Therefore, along with the effects of tougher regulations, everyone in the Puget Sound region will feel the effects of overall improved quality of life as steps are taken to restore, protect, and conserve invaluable land and water resources for salmon. In developing solutions to foster salmon recovery, the first step is to look at why they are declining. Hatchery fish production, although intended to supplement declining wild stocks of fish, has over time contributed to the decline of these wild populations.