The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Scroll down to check out a collection of salmon videos and stories.

Salmon are a force for nature, economies and communities in Washington and throughout the north Pacific. Our wild salmon travel from open water into our bays, rivers and streams. These ocean-fed fish become a foundation of the food web in the waters and on the lands around them. Our forests and hundreds of plant and animal species– from insects to bears to giant trees–depend on the nutrients salmon bring back from the sea.

Many of Washington’s salmon populations have declined by 90% or more; some have been lost completely. This dramatic drop in salmon has serious consequences for jobs, recreation and tourism as well as wildlife such as iconic orca whales.

Salmon species native to both the Atlantic and Pacific have been pushed to the brink, struggling to battle dammed and polluted rivers, a warming climate and fishing pressure at sea. But there are signs of progress. These amazing fish persist in Washington, ready to surge back if we will let them. They still fight their way to open waters, seeking to return one day to the stream where they were born and where they will give their lives for the next generation.

We are working to recover wild salmon throughout Washington, from the great rivers on our coast, to Puget Sound’s Skagit River and Hood Canal, to fragile streams and rivers in the dry forests of the east Cascades.

We will keep fighting to preserve these amazing – and delicious – fish for all to enjoy. You can help ensure salmon make a comeback in WA by becoming a monthly giver. It’s fast, reliable and paperless!