In British Columbia, Sockeye DNA Project Enters Exciting New Phase 

In the language of the Nuxalk First Nation, the place name for the Kimsquit River—“Suts’lhm”—means “place of sockeye. So it follows that this remote British Columbia river was a focus of WSC Salmon Watershed Scientist Dr. Will Atlas’s work this summer, collecting sockeye salmon DNA alongside Nuxalk and Heiltsuk First Nations partners. This data is driving a groundbreaking project that aims to help us understand the species like never before. Now, with the research phase near completion, Dr. Atlas and his team are reporting exciting—and hopeful—new findings. 

Next Steps for Snake River Dam Removal

In August, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and Senator Patty Murray released recommendations on a path for the Lower Snake River: one that considers removing four dams that currently impede access to what we believe could become the Lower 48’s largest cold water salmon stronghold. Gov. Inslee and Sen. Murray also acknowledged that dam removal will impact the region’s current energy, transportation, and agricultural networks. That’s why we’re working with Congress to encourage direct investments in these sectors throughout the Columbia Basin.

In Oregon, Turning on the Tap for Farms and Fish

This August, Wild Salmon Center and Trout Unlimited hosted two dozen Tribal, state agency, and government representatives for a tour of northeast Oregon's Lostine River Conservation Project. This groundbreaking arrangement with conservation groups is producing higher crop yields for sixth-generation farmer Woody Wolfe—along with more water for the river's salmon right when they need it the most. Read our story for more on how this project is saving one farmer water and time, while showing a path forward for thriving farms, healthy fish, and Oregon's new water normal.

Welcome Melaney Dunne, our New Salmon Watershed Scientist

For 12 straight days this summer, Melaney Dunne woke up at daybreak, pulled on her waders, leapt out of her tent, and started fishing Mongolia’s still-frosty Onon River before breakfast. As a Wild Salmon Center Salmon Watershed Scientist and the newest member of our Science Team, Dunne is helping expand our International Taimen Initiative, a first-of-its-kind project that aims to fill data gaps on the understudied salmonid. But that’s just part of the fresh capacity that Dunne adds to our growing science program. Learn more here, and please join us in giving her a warm welcome to the WSC community!

The mission of the Wild Salmon Center is to promote the conservation and sustainable use of wild salmon ecosystems across the Pacific Rim.

Photo/image credits (from top): Sockeye sampling on B.C.'s Kimsquit River (Olivia Leigh Nowak @olivialeighnowak); Snake River (Earth Justice);  Oregon farmer Woody Wolfe (center) with participants at our August Wolfe Farm Tour with Trout Unlimited (WSC); (Courtesy Mongolia River Outfitters @fishmongolia); North Umpqua River, Oregon (Ken Morrish @FlyWaterTravel). 

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