Dear John,
In 2000, Wild Salmon Center launched an idea as wild as the fish we seek to protect. We committed ourselves to securing the long-term health of an entire archipelago of wild salmon and steelhead strongholds across the North Pacific.
We knew this plan was ambitious. But we also knew that without action, we could lose the world’s last, best wild salmon systems. So we followed the science (our north star), built partnerships, and advanced step by step. The metrics prove we’re on the right path. With our partners, we’ve protected 7.7 million acres of habitat to date, and prioritized wild fish management in 89 rivers.
Last year, WSC won some of the most foundational victories in our history. Now, with your support, 2024 will take us even farther.
In Alaska, 2023 marks the year we finally defeated Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay. Now, we aim to stop a plan to clear a 100-mile industrial road through the salmon-rich West Susitna wilderness. Thanks to you, we know we can win ambitious campaigns like these. That’s why we’re also working to protect 28 million federally-managed acres across the entire state.
We’re also making progress in the Western Pacific. Despite WSC being barred from working in Russia in 2023—along with other NGOs—our partners continue to strengthen protected areas, anti-poaching initiatives, and salmon-centered environmental curricula. But our conservation focus goes beyond Russia. The WSC-led International Taimen Initiative now brings together scientists and conservationists from Japan to Mongolia to protect the world’s largest salmonids.
Your support is why we can build bridges across geographies, even in times of strife.
You’re also helping us build bridges within the scientific community. In 2023, WSC scientists co-authored nine studies, from the status of West Coast Chinook to the impacts of pink salmon on other marine species. In 2024, we’ll share even more insights, along with updates on new technologies like “Salmon Vision,” an AI-powered automated fish counting tool led by WSC with First Nations and others.
Thanks to you, WSC is a global leader in salmon conservation science. And you’re helping us dramatically scale restoration work across the Pacific Northwest.
In 2023, donor- and foundation-supported science, planning, and partnership-building leveraged $22 million in new federal and state grant commitments for shovel-ready projects in Oregon and Washington. We’ll break ground on many of these projects in 2024.
You’re also driving historic policy wins for salmon.
Thanks to your support, the Private Forest Accord is now law: the most important reform yet of habitat protection rules in Oregon. In 2024, we hope to secure hundreds of thousands of acres of coastal rainforest and create a new generation of laws that will keep more water in rivers. And in British Columbia, your support is moving the needle on efforts to get harmful open net-pen salmon farms out of the ocean.
With your help, 2024 will bring us closer than ever to permanently protecting wild salmon and steelhead strongholds across the North Pacific. You’ll hear more about these campaigns in the coming months. For now, we're glad you're right there beside us, in moments big and small.
From all of us at WSC, thank you.
