This federal law protects not only the species itself, but also the habitat the species needs to survive and prosper. The numbers of salmon in our region have declined dramatically over the last 100 years.
Scientists agree that the cause of their decline is multi-fold.
High rates of fishing, the overuse of hatcheries to compensate for diminished numbers, hydropower dams, and degraded and lost habitat have all significantly contributed to the decline of the species. The salmon and trout that rely on this habitat have a remarkable story that you can read about in Ancients of the Green . In 1998, elected officials and citizens formed a WRIA 9 Steering Committee to respond to salmon listings under the Endangered Species Act. The Steering Committee is charged with using scientific information to develop recovery plans that protect and restore salmon habitat in Water Resource Inventory Area 9. The Steering Committee is supported by a Planning Work Group .