Rivers of a Lost Coast

Two salmon bills are coming out of the house and senate, each claim to protect rivers and watersheds currently supporting strong runs of Pacific Salmon. At first glance, the two bills seem similar but upon further review, Senate Bill S.817 the Pacific Salmon Stronghold Conservation Act of 2009 seems to be the bill with enough weight behind it to actually do something.

According to The Wild Salmon Center, The Pacific Salmon Stronghold Act of 2009 will establish a federal program to support protection and restoration of a network of the healthiest remaining wild Pacific salmon ecosystems in North America - “Salmon Strongholds.” These Salmon strongholds will sustain core centers of wild salmon abundance, productivity and diversity, reflecting a basic principle of conservation biology: protect the best, first.

This act will complement efforts to recover threatened and endangered stocks by directly supporting public-private incentive-based efforts to maintain strong “seed” stocks, sustaining the economic, ecological, cultural, and health benefits of Wild Pacific salmon for future generations.