Uploaded August 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
I talked to a Washington state hatchery worker and he said this was the biggest Chinook return he had ever seen. So many Chinook have returned they are running out of space to hold them and there are many, many more coming in. This is a good problem to have. In other words, this is what it should look like every year. Now, this is just one little stream, but considering recent years have seen dismal returns, this is a bit of hope. We need to keep investing in re-establishing and protecting salmon habitat. Chinook salmon are threatened (wild Chinook especially so) and seeing a big return of even hatchery fish is super important for the Salish Sea ecosystem. We need to keep supporting programs that are fighting for the health of our salmon. Much, much, much work to do.
I talked to a Washington state hatchery worker and he said this was the biggest Chinook return he had ever seen. So many Chinook have returned they are running out of space to hold them and there are many, many more coming in. This is a good problem to have. In other words, this is what it should look like every year. Now, this is just one little stream, but considering recent years have seen dismal returns, this is a bit of hope. We need to keep investing in re-establishing and protecting salmon habitat. Chinook salmon are threatened (wild Chinook especially so) and seeing a big return of even hatchery fish is super important for the Salish Sea ecosystem. We need to keep supporting programs that are fighting for the health of our salmon. Much, much, much work to do.
