The Salish Sea was once an ecosystem with abundant wild Pacific salmon that supported fresh and saltwater ecosystems, thriving fisheries and Indigenous cultures. Beginning in the late 1970s, marine survival rates for Chinook, Coho, and steelhead, meaning the number of fish that survive migration from river to ocean and return as adults, mysteriously and sharply declined. Efforts to reduce harvest, restore habitat, and improve hatchery practices have not led to recovery. In partnership with US-based Long Live the Kings, the Pacific Salmon Foundation launched a five-year transboundary effort with more than 60 different entities to understand the interlocking ecosystem factors that were limiting salmon production. The initiatives within the Marine Science Program are based on the culmination of those findings and identification of urgent priority areas for advancing recovery.
Explore our current programs
Resilient Coasts for Salmon
Re-naturalizing shore lines to recover salmon and fend off global warming
The Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF), together with the British Columbia Conservation Foundation (BCCF), are investigating survival bottlenecks for salmon and steelhead throughout the Salish Sea and Southern BC regions
Why are salmon dying in the Salish Sea? Over 60 organizations are working internationally to solve the biggest mystery impacting salmon recovery and sustainable fisheries