Partners in Recovery

Governor’s Statewide Salmon Strategy

As envisioned in the Statewide Strategy to Recover Salmon: Extinction is not an Option (1999) and the Governor’s Salmon Strategy Update (2021), Washington State has crafted a successful and effective, watershed-based approach to salmon recovery.

Who's Involved

Salmon Recovery Regions

Washington State established eight geographical salmon recovery regions to respond to the Endangered Species Act listings. Seven of those have regional organizations, which are governed by boards comprised of locally elected officials, Tribes, and citizens. They work with local watershed groups, salmon recovery partners, Tribes, state and federal agencies, and other community groups to recover salmon. Working together, they set goals, develop strategies for recovery, and build commitments to achieve results.

Regional organizations develop recovery plans that are adopted by the federal government. Recovery efforts in the Northeast Washington Salmon Recovery Region are coordinated among state and federal governments and the Kalispel Tribe of Indians through the bull trout recovery team.

Salmon Recovery Lead Entities

Watershed-based lead entity groups are the backbone for locally based recovery efforts, bringing together many partners to make local decisions.

Lead entities work in watersheds to develop strategies to restore salmon habitat and then solicit restoration projects that align with these strategies. They evaluate and prioritize those projects using local technical and citizen committees made up of Tribes, federal and state agencies, local governments, individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and technical experts. Lead entities submit their recommendations to their regional salmon recovery organizations, which make funding recommendations to the State.

Once projects are approved, lead entities work closely with others who do the projects, such as cities, counties, Tribes, nonprofits, fisheries enhancement groups, and conservation districts.

Indian Tribes

Tribes are foundational for salmon recovery in Washington. Tribes are sovereign nations with thousands of years of knowledge, expertise, and insight, and have led many of the largest restoration and recovery efforts in the state. Tribes also serve on the local and regional recovery boards and work closely with partners and state agencies to advance recovery priorities. The State of Washington co-manages fisheries with Treaty Tribes. More detail about Tribal involvement is in the Tribes and Salmon Recovery section.

Local Governments

Cities and counties play a pivotal role in salmon recovery. They sit on watershed-scale and regional recovery boards, help secure funding, implement projects, and participate in the lead entity groups to guide salmon recovery. In addition, counties and cities are responsible for protecting salmon habitat through the Growth Management Act, the Shoreline Management Act, land-use plans, critical area ordinances, shoreline management plans, and other practices.

Federal Government

Federal agencies play many pivotal roles in salmon recovery. In particular, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Fish and Wildlife Service administer the Endangered Species Act. These agencies fund recovery efforts and approve or write recovery plans, as well as provide science and monitoring information. The Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, National Park Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Forest Service all play different roles that contribute to salmon recovery.

State Agencies

The state natural resource agencies are critical for salmon recovery. The Department of Fish and Wildlife and Treaty Tribes co-manage salmon fishing. The department also restores and protects habitat, issues permits for in-water construction, works with local governments to protect habitat, and participates in programs to remove barriers to fish passage in streams.

The Conservation Commission provides voluntary programs for private landowners to implement conservation on their properties and for counties to use locally driven watershed plans and voluntary, incentive-based tools to protect critical areas.

The Department of Ecology improves and protects water quality, manages and conserves water resources, and manages coastal and inland shorelines to ensure there is enough clean water for communities and the natural environment.

The Department of Natural Resources also is removing barriers, cleaning up aquatic lands, and regulating forest practices that impact salmon.

The Department of Transportation is working to remove barriers to fish passage under roads in the state highway system.

The Puget Sound Partnership serves as the regional organization for the recovery of salmon in the Puget Sound area.

The Salmon Recovery Funding Board, Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office, and the Recreation and Conservation Office provide statewide policy, coordination, and funding for salmon recovery.

Individuals and Landowners

Washington residents are instrumental in salmon recovery. Individuals make decisions every day that can benefit or burden the natural environment. People can contribute to salmon recovery by making good land-use decisions, using products that don’t harm salmon, and keeping pollution out of waterways. Landowners also play a vital role in salmon recovery because many of the restoration projects occur on their land. Private forestland owners actively are removing barriers to fish migration and individual landowners across the state are helping restore their shorelines and riverbanks so their land can better support salmon.

Banner photograph is of the North Wind Weir tree planting by Norbert Woloszyn.