Save Our Wild Salmon is a nationwide coalition of conservation organizations, commercial and sports fishing associations, businesses, river groups, and taxpayer advocates working collectively to restore self-sustaining, abundant, and harvestable populations of wild salmon and steelhead to rivers, streams and oceans of the Pacific Salmon states.
This week, for the seventh straight year, comprehensive spring and summer spill begins on the Snake and Columbia Rivers. Spill is a salmon protection measure that sends water over the dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers in order to help young salmon migrate through the federal hydrosystem. It is widely regarded as the safest and most effective means of helping these fish reach the Pacific Ocean, as long as the dams remain in place.
Since the annual spill on the Snake and Columbia Rivers began in 2006, tens of thousands more salmon and steelhead have been produced. Measured in fish, this is Save Our Wild Salmon's biggest achievement in 20 years.
Although most of these salmon are hatchery fish, any fish improvements in the dam system necessarily benefit all the fish in the river. These better hatchery returns make spill the most successful job protector and creator in Columbia-Snake salmon policy in the last 20 years.
As for wild fish, most ESA-listed salmon and steelhead populations in the Basin are at higher numbers and in sounder condition because of comprehensive spill, buying them precious years against extinction. Spill is not enough to restore them, particularly Snake River and upper Columbia species, but it has made a big positive difference.
Help celebrate 20 years uniting people for salmon, rivers, and jobs at the SOS Turning 20 in 2012 Anniversary Party!
WHEN: Thursday, April 19
TIME: 6-9 PM
WHERE: KEEN headquarters, 926 NW 13th Ave #210 (upstairs), Portland, OR
FREE Admission
More Details here