Building Resilience 2019 Annual Report

Wild Salmon Center 2019 Annual Report: Wild Resilience

Building Resilience Annual Report 2019 Deschutes River, OREGON We went to the river. Undistracted by social media, news reports, and the stresses of the city, we tied flies, fished for trout, read books, and played guitar. We are extremely blessed to have a refuge, a river that will take care of us. The rivers that run through our lives anchor us and connect us to nature in a way that is as fundamental to our existence as anything else in this world. The river is where you can find, as Robert Traver wrote, “solitude without loneliness.” So many people don’t have that refuge, or find their favorite one endangered.

a letter from the president Our work at Wild Salmon Center is to ensure that a network of these rivers—the greatest remaining around the North Saving Refuges Pacific—are protected forever. Protected for those who live on these rivers; for those who depend on the salmon, clean water, Our world seems more unstable than ever. As our political and other gifts the river brings; and for all those who seek ref- arenas, our communities, the Covid-19 disease, and the uge there in troubled times. Everyone needs these places. economy are in constant flux, it feels as if the ground keeps shifting underneath our feet. It becomes harder to know And we won't have them unless we are ready to fight for their where we are. protection. For my family, our connection to the river and its fish has Thank you for helping us protect those places on Earth that given us sanctuary from a sometimes uncertain and chaotic are important for our health and sanity. world. In the 1950s, my grandfather, recovering from a painful Thank you, as well, for your notes of encouragement and divorce, retreated to our cabin on the Deschutes to lick his support these last few months. We are grateful for the wider wounds. Years later, my mother, exhausted from raising five Wild Salmon Center family, one that shares our mission and children, would grab her paints and easel and slip off to the our life’s work. Together, we will emerge from this, alongside river for refuge. My father, cooped up in an office for months, the rivers that keep us whole. would grab his alpenstock walking stick, and like a coiled spring, head for the rimrock. Check out our video “A Salmon Life,” where WSC CEO Guido Rahr talks I was allowed to roam the rivers and hills alone, first in about a life built around salmon, rivers, and the fight to protect the search of reptiles and later as a fly fisherman. No matter North Pacific’s keystone species. See other video links throughout this what was happening in my life, I knew that once I saw the Guido Rahr report, available at salmonc.org/videos. dark waters surging through the basalt canyon, smelled the President and Chief Executive pungent tang of sagebrush, and felt the warm sun on my face, I would feel safe from the world. When the Oregon governor ordered us to “shelter in place,” my wife Lee and I knew just what to do with our three boys.

2 Guido Rahr 3 Western Pacific North America

ALASKA Susitna Russia Alaska Expansion for Tugur Reserve, and Bristol Bay coalition prepares for Nushagak & responsible fishing practices pay back Kvichak Pebble Mine’s next stage

RUSSIA Utkholok & Kvachina Bering Sea Bristol Bay CANADA

Uda/Maya Sea of Okhotsk KAMCHATKA Shantar Skeena Islands BRITISH Kol & COLUMBIA Kekhta Zhupanova Tug ur Dean Nimelen Dagi Opala Washington British Columbia Nabil Wild Stopping a dam on the Chehalis and A new gene bank for wild salmon Vostochny Salmon KHABAROVSK REGION Territory conserving spring Chinook Koppi SAKHALIN ISLAND Olympic Peninsula Chehalis WASHINGTON Nehalem & Tillamook Siletz Sarufutsu OREGON Siuslaw N. Umpqua Coos & Elliott State Forest Rogue Together, protecting the rivers we call home Elk Illinois Smith Sea of Wild Salmon Center and more than a dozen close partners are securing Klamath CALIFORNIACALIFORNIA Japan SF Eel/Mattole a future for salmon across the North Pacific. UNITED STATES Russia and Alaska Oregon Boomerang and a pilot program in The multiplier effect of coast coho Cordova set up next-generation success restoration, and a historic timber pact

Restoring Wild Salmon’s Superpower The long history of wild Pacific salmon reads like a heroic tale of resilience and resettlement. Salmon fought their way back to the coastal rivers of British Columbia and Alaska, after the retreat of the miles-thick Cordilleran ice sheet. Ten millennia later, in 1981, wild fish ran up Washington’s Toutle River to successfully spawn, just a year after that watershed was reamed by debris and mud avalanches from Mt. St. Helens’ dramatic eruption. You could say adaptability—driven by 18 million years of natural selection along the wild Pacific coast—is salmon’s superpower. But just as a new wave of climatic upheaval arrives, salmon's re- nowned adaptability has taken a beating. Over the last century, in pursuit of predictable, abundant fishing harvests, we’ve crowded out wild fish with hatchery cousins and overfished wild runs. These practices have reduced wild salmon genetic diversity on both sides of the Pacific, leading to a loss of survival strategies such as spawning runs once spread across the whole year. It’s like narrowing our trips to the grocery store to the same hour each week—when the shelves might be half-empty and the competition fierce. That’s putting whole populations at risk. The good news is that through a combination of genetic studies, historic run reconstruction, and a deeper understanding of intact, diverse populations, we’re getting a clear picture of how to restore and protect diversity. Only with a full range of ocean life cycles, run timings, and other survival strategies—life histories, as they’re known—will wild salmon be well-equipped to survive and thrive as the climate changes faster than at any time in known history. In the following pages, you’ll see how we’re working to understand, expand, and protect salmon's adaptive capacity across the North Pacific. Protecting that resilience is a core strategy in protecting salmon strongholds, and a must-have if we want the salmon story to continue through these uncertain times. Some- times your heroes need a little help recovering their superpowers.

6 Jason Ching 8 Salmonfest gathering in Ninilchik. Salmonfest gatheringinNinilchik. hold strong,includingatAlaska'sannual Opposition toPebbleMinecontinues

Tim Steinberg Lake Aleknagik,BristolBay, ALASKA

Jason Ching Jason need forpermanent protections.Untilthen, we’renotbackingdown. Bristol Bay, theperilsoftoxicmininginits headwaters,andtheregion's Juneau change.Then,wecan restartascience-basedconversationabout The goalistodefendBristol BayuntilthepoliticsinWashington and secretly courtingfavorsfrom Alaska’sgovernor. to strengthenPebbleopposition, aidedbymediareportsaboutPebble Transportation andInfrastructureCommittee. AndinAlaska, wecontinue including OregonRepresentativePeterDeFazio, chairoftheHouse rallying powerfulalliesinCongress forstricterArmyCorps oversight, the ArmyCorps' potentialPebbleMinepermitapprovalincourt.We’re we havebuiltaformidablelegalandscientificexpertteam tochallenge with tribalandconservationgroups,iscommittedtothis fight. Together, Nonetheless, theDefendBristolBaycampaign,whichWSC isco-leading of permitting.TheArmyCorps respondedbymovingupitstimeline. munities thisspring,localleadersaskedtheCorps topausethefinalstage Finally, withCovid-19 threateningisolatedandill-equippedBristolBaycom- They havenot. Corps toaddressthewell-documentedproblemswithPebbleproject. independent andagencyscientists,havecontinuallycalledontheArmy permitting processforthemineanyway. WSCandourallies,aswell U.S. ArmyCorps ofEngineersbeganafast-tracked,politicallydriven and industrydiscussions.The“small”minewon’tmakemoney, butthe mine—a planmadeclearinPebbleexecutives’recentprivateshareholder muster. Inreality, thisisthefirstphaseofalargerandmoredestructive mine plantoproveenvironmentalresponsibilityandpasspermitting Two yearsago, theCanadian companybehindPebbleproposeda“small” majestic salmonfishery. clearly havelittleregardforthewishesofBristolBaycommunitiesorthis against bothaminingcompanyandfederalpermittingagencythat Lately, WSCand Alaskanpartnershavebeenfightinganuphillbattle productivity oftheworld’sgreatestsalmonstronghold. of theKvichak andNushagakrivers,posesanexistentialthreattothe Bay fromthePebbleMine.Thistoxicmine,proposedinheadwaters Wild SalmonCenter hasbeenworkingforadecadetoprotectBristol forin Next Pebble Round of Fight Defend Bristol Bay Campaign Digs

Jason Ching hasn't seena major closuresince2002. warrant fisheries closureseverytwoorthree years.Theregion populations, BristolBaywould seelowenoughreturnsto without thisrichhabitatdiversity andlocallyadaptedsalmon abundance. Infact,scientist DanielSchindlerfoundthat almost alwaysenoughwinners tosustainhighlevelsofoverall But withnearlyallthesurvival optionscovered,thereare survival jackpotandreturntoBristolBay. Somewillnot. low zooplanktonfoodlevels,someofthefishrunswillhit life cyclefullofperilslikesalmonsharks,predatorybirds,and with eachsquarerepresentingonerunoffish.Inany given and habitatformamatrix.Pictureitthousandbythousand, heading downstreamfortheocean.Allcharacteristics offish aquamarine lakes,andsomethattakeafullsecondyear before and thinnercreekspawners.Juvenilesthatrearforayear in hundreds ofdistinctsalmonruns.Thick-bodiedlake The secretofthissuccessisinthediversityBristolBay's the lastsixdecades,averagereturnisover30millionfish. nutrients backintoecosystemstosupportmyriadspecies.Over in puttingfishboatholdsandsmokehouseswhiledelivering Bristol Bayismorereliablethananysalmonfisheryintheworld The Gold Standard for Diversity 9 10 Dean River, BRITISH COLUMBIA samples ontheDeanRiver. of theNuxalkNationcollecting WSC's MattSloatandCharlesSaunders

Jeremy Koreski Scott Carlson salmon runs.” can helpsupport betterfisheriesandalso worktorecoverendangered says Dr. Sloat.“Knowingmoreabouteach stockinasalmonportfolio “Managers havetobalance conservation goalswithimportantfisheries,” many categories. way thisstrategyworksinthe financialworld:byspreadingriskacross genetic diversity. Thegoal,ahealthy“portfolioeffect,”canpayoffthe same when toavoidvulnerableruns,fisheriescanbefine-tuned tosavethat When fishersandsalmonmanagersusethelibrarytoinform whereand populations canbegeneticallydistinct,evolvedforspecific conditions. ability toadaptchangingconditions.Even geographicallyclosesalmon The DNAlibraryreflectsanewunderstandingofwildsalmon’s amazing salmon populationsco-migrate,toallowvulnerableruns safepassage. knowledge couldtheninformselectivefishingguidelines inareaswhere what populationsaremovingthroughafishery, where,andwhen.This these mixed-stockfisheriescanbematchedwiththelibrarytodetermine map eachrun’smigrationtimingandroute.Samplescollectedfrom Ultimately, says WSCScienceDirectorMattSloat,thelibrarywillhelp populations. migration—fishers canaccidentallyoverharvestdepressedorat-risk marine zoneswheremultiplerunsmingleduringtheirhomeward most oftheprovince’ssalmonfisheriesare“mixedstock”—incoastal question: whatfisharecaughtinB.C.’scommercialfisheries?Because This toolwillhelpsalmonmanagersandFirstNationsansweracritical Nation, withmorefieldresearchplannedinthecomingyears. were collectedthispastfallbyateamincludingWSC,CRC,andtheNuxalk including keystocksfromtheSkeenaandDean.Central Coast samples hundreds ofgeneticallydistinctPacificNorthwestwildsalmonruns, Over thenextfewyears,thislibrarywillhouseDNAsamplesfrom that canhelpbothsalmonandthecommunitiestheysupport. of FisheriesandOceanstobuildagame-changinggeneticlibrary—one Conservancy, FirstNations,SimonFraser University, andtheDepartment This iswhereWildSalmonCenter ispartneringwithCoastal Rivers and chumsalmonrunssustainecosystemslocalcommunities. of wildsteelheadcovetedbyanglers,whileregionalChinook,sockeye, On BritishColumbia’s Central Coast, riversliketheDeanhostuniqueraces Banking on Salmon DNA B.C. in

Credit Alamy longer-term predictive modelingforglacier retreat.” habitat might change,”saysPitman.“That meansintegrating “We recommend theyconsiderthefuturestateofsalmon,how of BritishColumbia’s SimonFraser University. managers mustthinkahead, saysstudyleadauthorKaraPitman Because glaciermeltwillopen potentialnewhabitat,salmon were born. seek outnewspawningriversinsteadofreturningtowhere they behaviors, includingthefractionofsalmonthat“stray”—e.g., Wild salmon’sgeneticdiversityexpressesitselfinarange of to theMiocene,withitswarmertemperaturesandhigher seas. Salmon arehardyandadaptable,withalonghistorydating back thousands ofmilessalmonhabitat. to heatanddrought.Butretreatingicewillalsolikelycrea te will leavesomeNorthPacificsalmonsystemsmorevulnerable Disappearing glaciers,combinedwithotherclimateeffects, coverage—and that80percentofcoverwillbelostby2100. America’s salmonwatershedshaveatleastsomeglacier team ofPacificsalmonexpertsfindsthat85percentNorth A newstudyfromWSCScienceDirectorMattSloatanda What Glacier Melt Means for Salmon 11 Chehalis River, WASHINGTON Protecting the Chehalis for Spring Chinook Spring Chinook have a distinct climate advantage: they enter the rivers early in the year, before hot summer flows arrive, and swim to cool springfed pools high in watersheds to ride out the summer months. But if springers need to climb high into a river system, then physical barriers like dams can have an outsize impact on their success. Now, we’re facing a new dam on the upper Chehalis River, smack-dab in prime spring Chinook spawning and rearing habitat. The dam has been proposed to residents of Lewis, Thurston, and Grays Harbor county as Alamy a way to mitigate costly flooding. But the dam, with a starting price tag See how we're opening up cold water refuges for salmon and of $628 million, won’t stop flooding, only reduce it modestly. That huge steelhead on the Olympic Peninsula: salmonc.org/videos. WSC Staff budget would be better spent on real solutions: reconnecting floodplains, WSC's Jess Helsley and Dan Penn of the replacing broken road culverts, and elevating at-risk structures, while Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reser- protecting critical Chinook habitat. Cold Water Connection Gains Velocity vation on the Chehalis River. The Chehalis remains one of Washington’s best steelhead fisheries and an important source of wild Chinook, especially for the Chehalis and On the Olympic Peninsula, projections show salmon rivers Quinault people. Yet spring Chinook runs have been so low that the could stay relatively cool even in the face of climate change. But fishery has been closed for five years straight. Meanwhile, new research access to cold water is crucial for wild salmon. Yet 4,000 known from a team including WSC Science Director Matt Sloat shows that barriers—from culverts and other “mini-dams” to old roads— because spring Chinook are genetically distinct from fall Chinook, their block fish from freely using these cold streams. And as a result early return is likely hard-wired. That means once these runs are lost, of overdue maintenance and scant infrastructure spending, strays from fall Chinook populations are not likely to replace them. these barriers are degrading fast. Bottom line: the risk from the dam comes at exactly the wrong time for The Cold Water Connection Campaign, a joint partnership with Chehalis spring Chinook. Wild Salmon Center, Coast Salmon Partnership, and Trout “We know that springers in the Chehalis have been on the decline, and it’s Unlimited, is two years into an ambitious plan to map these even worse than we thought,” says Dr. Sloat. “This is not a hypothetical.” barriers and identify exactly where better fish passage will pay off the most on rivers like the Hoh and Quillayute. The ultimate As part of the Chehalis River Alliance, WSC has developed extensive goal is to open some 150 miles of critical cold water habitat. scientific arguments against the dam and is supporting alliance communications during state and federal dam reviews. Prioritizing the right projects means trudging county roads, working with private landowners, and getting local, state, tribal, We’re urging the state to pursue a smarter vision for the Chehalis: one and federal agencies to share data. Thanks to substantial recent that, like Chinook salmon, is adaptive across the whole watershed. A suite investments by Wallace Research Foundation and Open Rivers of flood control and habitat restoration strategies fits the challenges of the Fund, that work has accelerated—well-positioning our campaign 21st century. What doesn’t is this dam: one big, costly, concrete fix, and a for upcoming funding opportunities. poor one at that.

12 Shane Anderson, Pacific Rivers 13 Rogue River, OREGON Recovering Coastal Rivers and Jobs Young Oregon Coast coho take their time in freshwater, exploring pools and side channels for a year or more before their big ocean exodus. That extended freshwater residency is why efforts to restore coho habitat pay off for other salmonids. In the upper Rogue River, work to expand cold water reaches for coho is a boon for basin steelhead. In the Nehalem, efforts to bring back beavers and their ponds restore ecological processes good for both coho and rearing fall Chinook. And reconnecting tidal wetlands in the Siletz, Coos Bay, and Siuslaw watersheds helps all salmon species living here. Recovering threatened Oregon Coast coho is the goal of the Coast Coho Partnership, which Wild Salmon Center helped establish in 2015. In the process, this work is restoring some of the most productive Alamy Freshwaters Illustrated Freshwaters salmon watersheds south of Canada. Working with local teams, WSC Maggie Peyton of the Upper Nehalem drafts science-based action plans for these watersheds, identifying Watershed Council and WSC’s Mark high-priority coho habitat restoration projects that WSC then works to Restoring Flows, Spring Chinook to Rogue Trenholm on the Nehalem River. fund. Since 2017, the partnership has driven more than $10 million into local restoration efforts, thanks in large part to support from the NOAA The Rogue River’s spring Chinook run is one of the most important Learn how restoration is key to protecting Restoration Center, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, and the left in the Pacific Northwest. Spring Chinook have a special tool for Oregon and California strongholds at National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. warming climates: they climb rivers early to wait out hot summers salmonc.org/videos. This work also has economic benefits for local communities. On the in cool upper stretches. But on the Rogue, one dam’s water man- Rogue’s West Evans Creek, a WSC grant to the Applegate Partnership & agement system is impacting springers’ natural advantage. Watershed Council is funding a large wood installation that will employ The 327-foot Lost Creek Dam controls river temperatures by some two dozen people, from log fellers to archaeologists. releasing reservoir water; in theory, this helps wild fish by acting But recovering coho will take more than habitat restoration. That’s as a seasonal HVAC system. The Rogue’s fall Chinook now use why the partnership knits tightly with WSC’s Oregon policy work. In this higher and cooler late-summer water to spawn earlier and the Coos Bay headwaters, we helped keep the 82,000-acre Elliott State farther upriver. The problem? They’re now reaching spring Chinook Forest in public ownership; WSC’s Bob Van Dyk is helping to develop a habitat, interbreeding, and diluting springers’ unique genetics. conservation plan for the Elliott with other stakeholders. On the Nehalem, That genetic shift is important. Research from WSC and UC Davis we’ve complemented restoration work with a state scenic waterway shows that spring Chinook are wired for early return. To protect designation. And in the Rogue River basin, we’ve also secured new stream springer genetics—and their natural advantage—WSC Science Di- protections on private forestland (see p. 17). rector Matt Sloat says the Rogue needs creative water solutions. “Oregon Coast coho is well-positioned for a comeback,” says WSC Coast “Returning to natural water flows and temperatures would restore Program Director Mark Trenholm. “Local communities get it: they want the benefits of being a spring Chinook,” says Dr. Sloat. “We’re to fish for coho again, and know that we can get there through strategic combining genetic studies and advanced flow modeling to help pol- restoration and better stewardship of working lands.” icymakers better understand how to secure a strong future for wild Rogue springers.”

14 Alamy 15 Nehalem River, OREGON Sea Change for Oregon Forestry? For two decades, Wild Salmon Center labored against powerful Oregon timber interests to modernize salmon habitat protections for state and private forests on the coast. These forests, which span millions of acres, FPO harbor some of the greatest remaining wild salmon and steelhead runs in For Placement Only the Lower 48—in rivers like the Nehalem, the Rogue, and the Umpqua. In recent years, WSC worked with the media and new champions on the state board of forestry to spotlight Oregon’s weak forestry practices. Then last year, frustrated by the slow pace of change, WSC and a raft of other conservation, fishing, and citizen groups filed a series of ballot measures to overhaul forest policy. Justin Bailie Finally, the political ground shifted. Find out why fishermen from far and near love the Nehalem—the In January and February, WSC helped negotiate a historic forestry reform gem of the Oregon Coast—at salmonc.org/videos. agreement between a dozen conservation organizations and an equal number of timber companies.

David Herasimtschuk The parties agreed to expanded forested stream buffers in the Rogue- The Scenic Nehalem Siskiyou region of Southwest Oregon, and to new pesticide spray The Nehalem River is one of six world-class salmon and Governor Kate Brown and WSC's Bob Van notifications and spray buffers around streams, residences, and steelhead rivers that flow out of the 500,000-acre Tillamook and Dyk (below, right) following signing of schools across Oregon. And we agreed to begin a process for creating Clatsop state forests. It’s also a hot spot of fish diversity with Oregon timber agreement. comprehensive rules to protect salmon habitat on over 10 million acres six species of wild fish, including rare summer Chinook, strong Learn why Oregon needs to modernize of private timberland in Oregon, with the goal of completing a federally coho runs, Oregon’s largest wild winter steelhead, and some of recognized Habitat Conservation Plan. timber practices: salmonc.org/videos. the last chum salmon south of Canada. A similar Habitat Conservation Plan in Washington state led to better Now, a 17-mile stretch of the Nehalem is officially a state protections on 60,000 stream miles. Oregon could see improvement scenic waterway, following the hard work of Wild Salmon across 50,000 stream miles, a crucial survival tool for salmon in the face Center and our partners, along with Governor Kate Brown's of climate change. signature last year. Scenic waterway status means that the lower stretch of the Nehalem will remain free of dams, and In a show of good faith, conservation and citizen groups rescinded the its natural water flows will be protected for fish and wildlife. forestry ballot measures, and timber groups dropped their three counter Additionally, landowners will work with state parks officials to measures. And in June, timber companies agreed to adopt temporary minimize development impacts within a quarter-mile buffer on stream buffer expansions in the Rogue-Siskiyou region, while the parties either side of the designated river run. (Wild Salmon Center awaited legislative action. worked successfully last year to stop a clearcut scheduled for It will take 18 months to complete a habitat conservation plan, and then a 67 acres of state forest along this stretch of river). federal process for final approval. But combined with in-progress habitat “This designation helps secure one of the most beautiful conservation plans for the Elliott and Tillamook state forests, we are close sections of the Nehalem and some of the most famous winter to a generational win for wild salmon and clean water in some of the best steelhead riffles and pools in the Pacific Northwest,” says WSC salmon strongholds in the Lower 48. CEO Guido Rahr.

16 WSC Staff 17 18 Wroblewski ontheTugur River. Alexander AbramovandWSC'sMariusz

Guido Rahr Tugur River, RUSSIA

Guido Rahr for theTugur, themostvibrant ecosystemleftintheRussianFar East.” we’ve helpedourpartnershead offdestruction.Thefuturelookshopeful success,” saysWSCCEOGuido Rahr. “True tothestrongholdstrategy, “Once thisreserveisinplace, theTugur willbeasalmonconservation Steller’s sealions,andSteller'seagles. species offishaswellbrownbears,reindeer, osprey, Manchurianelk, prohibited. Andnewprotectionswillgivefurtherrefuge tomorethan20 corridor fromspawninggroundsvirtuallytothesea.Logging willbe several headwaterstreams.Itwillgivetaimenandsalmon aprotected explorer GeorgeMiddendorf,willsecuretheriver’smidsection and Within twoyears,thevastlyexpandedreserve,tobenamed afterRussian fuel taimen’srecordgrowthontheTugur. they arebigenoughtoswallowthepreyfishwhole.Those marinenutrients men, whichfeedonadultchum,aswellgraylingandlenok,soon reduced chumsalmonpopulationstodangerouslevels,affectingthetai- brought illegalpoachingandminingactivityundercontrol.Poachinghad river. Jointriver patrolsbyAbramovandlocalgovernmentinspectorshave secured a197,000-acreprotectedareaacrosskeysectionofthelower place. In2014,KhabarovskWildlifeFoundation, ledbyAlexanderKulikov, der Abramov, conservationmeasureslongintheworksarenowfallinginto Wildlife Foundation, andtotheworkoflocalsportfishlodgeownerAlexan- But thankstoapartnershipbetweenWildSalmonCenter andKhabarovsk backed loggingventuresintheregion. larch, Koreanpine,andspruceforestsarehighlysoughtbyChinese- mark ofthewatershed’sunmatchedproductivity. Unfortunately, itsvirgin caught andreleasedaworldrecord108-poundtaimenthiswinter—a The Tugur isgainingincreasingnotorietyworldwide,afterflyfishermen taimen: salmon’slong-lived,oversized,ancientcousin. decade-long drivetoprotecttheworld’sgreateststrongholdforSiberian That reservewouldmarkthefinalpieceofconservationpuzzleina reserve stretchingacrossthemiddleanduppersectionofTugur River. administration wouldbeginthecreationofanewone-million-acrenature This winter, thegovernorofKhabarovskannouncedthathis Protection Tugur Nears Source-to-Sea

Guido Rahr does protectfish populations.” board chairman. “Theyhaveahugepractical knowledgethatit release foralongtime,”says GennadyZharkov, RSAadvisory “Our sportfishingmembers havebeenpracticingcatch-and- legions offishermenand women. as wellbuildastrongerconservation ethicamongRussia’s take pressureofftaimenand otherlong-livedwildfishspecies, to developfederalguidelinesandnewscience.Thegoal isto brochures, andenlistingexpertslikeDr. MikhailSkopets(above) on multiplefronts:helpingtoproduceeducationalfilms and promotional events.WSCispartneringwithRSA’s campaign They haveambitiousplansforblitzingairwavesandhosting the benefits—andsheerjoy—ofcatchingwildfish ona fly. Now, RSAleadersarelaunchinganewcampaigntoexplain recreational fishingcategory. Russian parliamentrecognizedcatch-and-releaseasan official our partnersattheRussianSalmonAssociation,lastyear two thousandinacountryof145million.Butattheurging breed amongRussianfishermenandwomen—maybeoneor Russia? We’re goingtofindout.Rightnow, flyanglersarearare Will catch-and-releasefishingbecomeanacceptedpracticein Catch and Release Advances Russia in 19 Kamchatka Peninsula, RUSSIA The Wild Advantage For more than a decade and a half, Wild Salmon Center’s sustainable fisheries team worked with Russian fishermen in Kamchatka and Sakhalin Island to protect their wild salmon fisheries and raise the value of that catch in the marketplace. Wild salmon stocks, we believed, would be more resilient than hatchery-raised salmon and deliver better long-term value to fishing communities, along with wild ecosystems. Today, building on years of cooperation with WSC, fishermen in West Kamchatka and Northeast Sakhalin are systematically handling threats to wild salmon fisheries and demonstrating the market value of those fish. In West Kamchatka, four companies worked with Ocean Outcomes (a spin-off of WSC) and later, U.S.-based 4SeasSolutions, to certify eight regional fisheries through the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). This

international certification requires that companies have an established Aaron Jorgenson plan to combat caviar poaching in each watershed and a science-based plan to allow enough salmon to return to each watershed before fishing starts. West Kamchatka also remains mostly hatchery-free, and its Pound Nets Hold Promise rivers remain wholly intact, allowing it to continue as the second most productive salmon region on Earth. In salmon fisheries across the North Pacific, the race is on for a Mihael Blikshteyn way to fish both successfully and selectively. In the last five years, West Kamchatka’s salmon fisheries harvests have consistently led the rest of the Russian Far East, with a whopping 378,000 In open water and in river mouths, fish runs intermingle. That tons in 2019. Kamchatka-based companies earn extra returns on those means commercial fishermen accidentally catch protected spe- Dmitry Lisitsyn of Sakhalin Environment cies alongside the abundant wild and hatchery runs they want. Watch on a Dagi River poaching raid. fish in international markets, because of the MSC label. On Sakhalin Island, 20 fishing companies have joined with our longtime One novel pilot project goes back in time for a forward-looking conservation partner Sakhalin Environment Watch, to form the Wild Salm- solution. Pound nets, once ubiquitous on the West Coast, on Territory, which encompasses 25 river systems on the northeast coast were banned nearly a century ago in Washington and Oregon of the island. Each river is covered by anti-poaching controls and a salmon as too successful. Now, one is back on the Lower Columbia population health assessment developed with Russian Academy of Sci- River, managed by the Wild Fish Conservancy and supported by ences. This region has also remained hatchery-free, and SEW is expanding partners including Wild Salmon Center. The net works passively, protected areas, with proposals for the Nabil and Dagi watersheds. leading fish into a watery “heart” where each can be identified by sight and then either netted or released, completely untouched. Over the last three seasons, Wild Salmon Territory pink and chum fisheries produced stronger runs than other regions, like the hatchery- With the Columbia pound net reporting near-zero mortality dominated Aniva Bay, which was once the breadbasket of the Sakhalin for protected species like wild steelhead and Chinook, project salmon economy. partners are now considering the potential for pound nets in other salmon systems, like B.C.’s Dean Channel and the Skeena. “Along with Alaska's Bristol Bay sockeye fishery, these two Russian The pound net’s comeback adds a promising new “old” tool in regions are strong proof to the world of the benefits of wild-only salmon the campaign to protect wild salmon. fisheries,” says Mariusz Wroblewski, WSC’s Western Pacific Director.

20 Sakhalin Environment Watch 21 Sakhalin Island, RUSSIA Boomerang’s Next-Gen Success The rivers of Russia’s Sakhalin Island, just north of Japan, nourish an amazing 11 salmonid species, from rare sea-run taimen to the prolific pinks that support its fisheries. So it makes sense that salmon figure, big time, in the educational programming of Boomerang Club, a 25-year-old nonprofit serving Sakhalin’s outdoor adventurers. Since 2001, Boomerang’s classes and outdoor camps have reached about every schoolchild in Sakhalin. Key to Boomerang’s success is an ability to translate a passion for conservation to young audiences—through video games, board games, adventure excursions, and contests. That the message is getting through is evidenced by the generations of former students who are now returning, in young adulthood, to become the club’s organizers and guides.

Now, with the help of Wild Salmon Center, a Boomerang partner since WSC Staff 2009, the club’s popular program is expanding across the Russian Far East. School systems in regions from Khabarovsk to Primorye and Buryatia are picking up its field-tested curricula. Boomerang’s training Alaska Education Program Progresses webinars attract hundreds of viewers, some from as far as Belarus and Mongolia. In Kamchatka, Boomerang recently coached 30 local educators In Cordova, Alaska, practically everyone is connected to the on wild salmon life cycles. This past summer, with the staff of Kronotsky annual salmon season. No surprise then that an educational Federal Reserve in Kamchatka, the club held a national curriculum- pilot program here—co-developed by Wild Salmon Center, development competition about wild salmon; teachers across Russia can Prince William Sound Science Center, and the Copper River now freely download the winning lesson plans. Watershed Project—uses salmon to teach school kids math, science, and research skills. Boomerang’s new reach is accelerating the education of future salmon advocates. And like the virtuous cycle of its now-grown Sakhalin Each fall and spring since 2016, fifth graders (top) at Mt. Eccles students—returning to teach and guide—students across the Russian Far Elementary wade into spawning streams, play Salmonopoly, East will hopefully help spread the gospel of salmon. “become” a watershed, and—a key element of this pioneering curriculum—trace salmon to the human families they support. Now, WSC and its partners are taking the Cordova program to the next level. The next goal is to standardize it, and offer these field-tested lesson plans to coastal teachers throughout Alaska. Photos (from left to right): Field classroom; Field trips range from near- by streams to the remote Shantar Islands off the coast of Khabarovsk where students document wildlife; Boomerang Club chair Valentina Mezentseva proudly shows off a new, WSC-supported educational initia- tive called “Young Friends of the Ocean,” which packages all of Boomer- ang’s priority themes into one formal program.

22 23 22 Boomerang Boomerang The Stronghold Fund Steps Up Through The Stronghold Fund (TSF), Wild Salmon Center leverages major timber agreements, p. 16.) Given the challenges associated with Covid-19 financial contributions to support partner organizations and high-leverage and its far-reaching economic impacts, we also stand ready to back our initiatives throughout the North Pacific. The Fund was created with the constellation of partners in Pacific stronghold rivers and regions. We plan belief that we’re most successful when we form strategic alliances to to increase grant-making over the next 6 to 12 months to bolster targeted achieve shared conservation goals. Two critical needs of those alliances conservation efforts. are targeted, rapid response funding for time-sensitive campaigns, and As we accelerate grant-making now and in the coming years, we continue stable resources for the network of leading organizations and coalitions to look for new funders to invest in The Stronghold Fund and help us protecting the North Pacific’s last, great salmon strongholds. fully deliver on our high-impact strategy to protect the Pacific’s most Since its creation in 2015, WSC has been working to capitalize The extraordinary salmon, steelhead, and trout rivers. Now, more than ever, Stronghold Fund at $15 million. To date, we've raised $10 million toward we have a singular role to help ensure the strength and capacity of our that goal. And for several years the Fund has deployed annual grants to partners and to support vitally important initiatives that benefit the North support efforts in the Skeena and Dean regions in British Columbia. (See Pacific’s wild salmon and steelhead and all that is linked to them. story p. 10 on TSF-funded work in the Central Coast of B.C.) To learn more about The Stronghold Fund, contact Executive Director David Along with new grants for British Columbia, this year the Fund is Finkel ([email protected]) or visit thestrongholdfund.org. providing resources to advance a major opportunity in Oregon. (See

The Stronghold Fund has provided multi-year support for WSC's partnership efforts with SkeenaWild to conserve the Skeena River and neighboring watersheds (Carrie Collingwood of the Babine River Foundation pictured below left). The Fund also supports Coastal Rivers Conservancy’s work in the Dean and Central Coast region of British Columbia (right). Learn more about investing in extraordinary wild salmon and steelhead rivers at thestrongholdfund.org.

24 Ken Morrish Billy LaBonte Guido Rahr 25 2019 Donors Blue Meridian Consulting Katz Chiropractic Mr. Vince F. Biondo Jr. and C. Kent Brodie Phillip Chi Mark Danhausen This year, we appreciate the enduring support Burning Foundation KEEN Footwear Mrs. Betsey L. Biondo James Bronson John W. Childs The Daniels Family of our donors. You allow us to advance salmon CannaCon L.P. Brown Foundation Jim Birdwell Arthur O. Brooks Steven Ching Foundation Charlotte Martin Foundation Lam Research Broughton and Kelley Bishop Tim Brooks Louise L. Chinn Ruth Darden conservation for the good of ecosystems and The Conservation Alliance Larry Invest AB Mary Bishop and the Amanda Brotman Gary Christianson Paula Darlington communities around the Pacific. Core Theory Studios Lazar Foundation Broughton and Mary Bishop Bruce Brown Louise Christianson Kent Davenport Deep Woods Web Live Botanical Foundation Matt Brown Theodore Chu Alice B. Davies The Stronghold Fund* Foundations, Elevate Building Mark Cranes Tree, Inc. Gail Bisson Robert Brucker Raoul Chung Charles Davis Anonymous Commissioning Modern Huntsman Christopher Bissonnette Bryn Mawr College Terry Churchill Stephanie Dawes Corporations, Eurasian Conservation Fund The Mohamed bin Zayed Rob Bitney Department of Russian C.D. and Tracey Clarke Edward Dayton Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Government, The DeBruce Foundation Fishhawk Lake Ecological Species Conservation Fund Taryn Black Stefano Buckley Katherine Cleland M. Susan Dean Deke and Hope Welles Fund and NGOs Foundation Mountain Rose Herbs Penelope Blackwell Robert Budd Jennifer Cleveland Joseph R. Deatherage Fish the Swing Natural Systems Design Robert Blais James Budelman Code Blue Charitable Lynda Decker Charles Phelps of the Toledo Community Alaska Department of Fish & WSC Staff Foundation Game Fly Water Travel LLC Nick Shirghio Photography Michael H. Blakely Joseph Budge Foundation, Inc. and Dan Jon Dee Steve Starke and Charlie Phelps with a Siberian taimen on WSC's David Finkel and Morgan Read on the Babine River, B.C. Gordon and Betty Moore AmazonSmile Frigate Travel NOAA Fisheries Ann Blaker Vince Buffalo and Shari Plummer Christoph Deeg the Tugur River. Foundation American Fly Fishing Trade Goldman Environmental Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe Nicholas Blakey Allan Bulley Mark Codington Diane DeJager James and Angela Hambrick Association Foundation LLP Thomas and Diane Bland Laurel Bunce Nathan Coffey Matthew DeLorme The Eckley Family Charitable Ben Finkel Foundation Ann J. and William Swindells GRIP6 Belts Pacific Rim Winemakers Nynne Abildgaard Devin Baker Salli Blevins Robert Bunzel David Cole Jennifer Denekas Fund David Finkel John W. Childs Fund Harder Foundation Patagonia, Inc. Linda Rosenberg Ach Doug Ballinger Kenan Block Patrick Buresh and Jeannie Jill Cole Louise Denny Thomas L. Eggerman Rory Finney John S. Dale Anonymous HDR, Inc. Paulus Family Foundation Christopher Adamo Ann Banchoff Liam Blodgett Bloome Rae Coleman Craig S. Derby Andrew Ekman and Laurie Alexa Firmenich John G. Searle Family Trust Auto Body Concept, Inc. Horne Family Foundation Pew Charitable Trusts Robert Adams Paul Bange Kenneth Bloem Craig Burns Christopher M. Coley Richard Derevan Lundy-Ekman McLane Fisher and John and Julie Dixon Babine Norlakes Steelhead The Joseph and Catherine Portland Fly Shop Marianna Akin Anthony Barengo Paula Blomenberg Hal Burroughs Frank Collin Murray Devine S Eldridge Robert Fisher and the Pisces Paulus Family Foundation Camp Johnson Family Foundation The Portland Garden Club Charles Allen Connie J. Barnes Bobolink Foundation and Preston Burton Kirsten Collins Michael Deyo Richard Elefant Foundation Jubitz Family Foundation Rahr Corporation Merritt and Heather Paulson Ron Byers Sean Collins Terry Dial and The Drollinger Kristen Ellard Russell Fisher *see pg 24 bambuOutdoor Thomas Allison Oscar Barney Bella Vista Foundation Kaeding Schaffrin GbR Rahr Foundation David R. Anderson Samuel Barone Alexander Bohusch Linda Cadzow Charles Colmore Family Charitable Clay Ellis Paul Fitzgerald Resources Legacy Fund Karen and David Andruss John Barr Nicole Borau L. H. Caldwell III Adrian Colunga Foundation Walter C. Emery Family Andrew R. Forauer Rushmore Foundation Frank Angelino Thomas A. Barron Paul Borcherding David Callaway Matthew B. Connolly Lisa Diehm Foundation Fund and Roe Chrisy Forbes Sara LaBorde (WSC), Jess Helsley (WSC), Kay Treakle and John Driggers (Harder Santa Cruz Fly Fishermen DeWalt H. Ankeny, Jr. Alexander W. Barth Elizabeth P. Borrelli John F. Cambria Kelly Conrad Charles D. Dilworth Emery Robert Ford Foundation), Mara Zimmerman (Coast Salmon Partnership), and Amee Pacheco Seattle Theatre Group Fund of The Minneapolis Bartholic Family Foundation James Bos Patrick Camp Jerry Conrow Matt Dlouhy Barb Engelter Will Forney (WSC) on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. Silicon Valley Community Foundation Andrew Basnight Michael and Judith Boyce Cassandra Campbell David Cook Dobkin Family Foundation Susan and William Epstein Elena Fornipopolo Foundation Joseph N. Anscher David Bataille Nicholas Boyer Joseph R. Car Jeremy Cook Eben Dobson and Betty Philanthropic Fund of Charles H. Foster Steelhead Flyfisher Keith Antell Eugenie Bauer Jennifer Brabson Caravan Trust and Austen S. Stephen Costello Soreng The Jewish Community Lisa Frangente Swing the Fly Ruby Apsler Christian Beck Dan Brack Cargill II Crane Creek Family Fund of Kathleen A. Dodds Foundation of the East Bay Kris Frank Tower Rock Lodge Alfredo Aramburu Harrell Beck Glenn Brackett Kristen Carpentier The Oregon Community Evan Dolan Randy Ericksen Scott Franklin Trust for Mutual Per Arneberg Kate Beck Bret R. Bradigan Christopher Carter Foundation Serena Donnelly Emily Ericsen James Freeberg Understanding Malcolm J. Arnett Dr. Mark Becker Stephen P. Bradley Kevin Carter Cathlene A. Crawford Mary Dougherty Francis Esatlilla Christian Freissler USDA Forest Service John Aronson Mary C. Becker Walter Bramkamp Carmen Casado Jody Creasman David Douglas Todd Evanoff Ada Frenock Wallace Research Foundation Dianne Arrigoni Jay H. Beckstead David Brantley Benton J. Case Louis Crettol Anna Drechsler Donovan Evans William Frerichs Wiancko Charitable Robert Ashford Carl G. Behnke Karl Brantley John Case Stewart and Lesley Crosby Darwin Drew Mark Evans Jean Marc Frey Foundation Frances Ashforth Jo Bellm Josanne Breeding-Owen Charles Cash Carol Crouthamel Don E. Dumond Jeffrey Evershed Marna Fullerton and the Wilburforce Foundation Andy Askren Craig BenBen Sarah Breeze Ashlee Casino Hector Cuecuecha Andrea S. Dunlap Barbara Ewell Fullerton Family Fund of the William and Flora Hewlett Benjamin Avitzur Martin Benchoff Robert Breit Roger Casper The Dabney Point Fund of Christopher Dunlap Rodger Fagerholm Minneapolis Foundation Foundation Laura Ayala-Huntley Logan Bennett James E. Brennan Larry Cassidy the Seattle Foundation and Daniel Dunn Andrew Fairley Christine Furlanetto Wingate Media Adrian Azodi Andrea Benson Richard A. Bresnahan Carl W. Cavallo Mr. and Mrs. William G. Sheila Dunn Scott Ferguson Roger C. Furlong Yonder, Inc. Chris Bailey Peter Bentzer David Brett Sara Cederberg Reed, Jr. Thomas Dwyer Karen Fevold Joseph P. Gaby Your True Nature, Inc. Joan Bailey Ed E. Berg Gretchen Brevig Carla Chandler The Da Capo Fund Gretchen Dysart The Mr. and Mrs. David J. Tony Gaetani Raymond Bailey Alison Bertrand Katharine Brigham Austin Chen Jennifer Dagg Ronald Dyslin Field Fund Amanda Galton-Valle Individual Donors Brightside Charitable Emily Chen Clementine Dal Fitto Kristen Eberlin Ezra Field Bill Gardner Anonymous Brian R. Baine Peter A. Bigot Dave Baine Lawrence Bijou Foundation Fred Chenot Evan Daley Lindsay F. and Patti Paxton Shannon Finch John Garrett August Abel Skip Brittenham Peter Chesler Lynda Dalton Eberts Fund Walter Finkbeiner Dr. Tony Garvey

26 WSC Staff 27 2019 Donors (cont.) Terry Gentry David Gulick Ned and Sis Hayes Family Mark Ivie Courtney Lewis Len Mayrisch Stacey Gerber Joan E. Haab Fund Natasha Jacob Steve Lewis Pamela McAdams Introducing Wild Salmon Center’s Giuseppe Gigliotti The Haase Family Roger L. Headrick Craig Jacobson Tom Lewis Cathryn Mcalpine New Ambassador Council! Geoffrey Gilbert Foundation The Helen Clay Frick George James Rex Lexter Pamela Burns McCabe Rob Gilbert Renee Hack Foundation Lore James Frank Ligon and the Burns McCabe Fishing guides, outfitters, and lodge owners con- Michael Giles Mari Haddock Patricia J. Hemphill The James Huntington Peter Lillevand Foundation Kurt Gingher Thomas Haensly David Henderson Foundation and Samuel H. James Lilly Jason McCandless stitute some of the most passionate advocates for David V. Goeddel John D. Haffenreffer Jeanne Henderson Ellis Bryan Linsley William McConnell wild fish across the North Pacific. Simon Goldrick Glenn Haley Judy Henderson The James Kilts Family Fund Donald Lintner Shannon McCormick

Edyne Gordon Robert Hall Nancy Henderson The J.C. Kennedy Foundation Marcia Liotard Pam & John McCosker In 2019, Wild Salmon Center resolved to harness Rich Crowder Erin Gorman Keith Hallman Mark Henjum and James C. Kennedy Brian Lippy Charitable Fund the power of these conservation allies by forming Kate Crump, Ken Morrish, and Gregory Gorman Bruce Ham Alfred Jauregui Ann Littlewood Caroline McCoy Mary Henning its new Ambassador Council—leaders in the fish- Jeff Hickman. Wiebe Gortmaker Tod and Barbara Hamachek Felton Jenkins III Sarah Livingstone Connie McDonald Cindy Hermanson ing industry who care deeply about the health of William Goubert David Hamilton Lynn Herring Conservation & Education Tammy Lloyd Kaye McDonald

Donald Grade Melina Hammer Mark Herter Fund Lynn and Jack Loacker Mary McGaughey wild salmon and steelhead strongholds. Jeremy Koreski Joel T. Grade George F. Hamner Jolene Herz John O. Jenkins Paul Lomax John C. McGlenn This small but mighty group of industry experts in top international angling

Kimberly Graf Blair Hampson Michael Herz Dale Jessup WSC Staff Kevin Lonergan Jess McGraw Nat Grainger Shauna Hanisch-Kirkbride Steve Heslop Kim Johnson The Longview Foundation Peggy McKeil are in a unique position to help further WSC’s destinations. Ken is also an Victor and Karen Grandidier Lisa K. Hansen Avi Hesterman Natalie Johnson Steven Shapiro, Bruce Ham, and WSC's Guido Rahr and and Ellie Crosby Patrick McKernan mission by showcasing our conservation work accomplished writer and pho- Susan Granfield Thomas M. Hansen Sherry Heying James R. Johnston Dr. Matt Sloat on the Tugur River. Barry Lopez William R. Mclaughlin with clients, elevating urgent conservation cam- tographer whose work has ap- Joshua Green Evan Hansmann Nancy Heymann Jack and Pam Jolley Mara Lorch Laureston Mclellan Philip Green Laura Hanson Sean Jones Molly Lusignan paigns, and sharing what they see and hear in peared in Patagonia's catalog, Peter Higgins and The Julian G. Kindrish Katherine LaBeau MCM Foundation and VC Green Josh Harings David Judd Randolph K. Luskey their home waters. Together, we’re building a Outside, Fly Fisherman, and Higgins Family Foundation Lisa King Sara LaBorde and Pam Ore Morgan Read James H. Greene Billie Harken Diana Jung Adam Lynch Harrison S. Hilbert Amanda Kings John Lake Thom McMahon stronger network of those who enjoy spending other popular publications. Gerald and Lyn Grinstein William Harkinson Dysa Kafoury Rick Macala Joyce Hill Kirsten J. Kinsman Carol Lam Robert Mead time in these watersheds and want to do more to He is a dedicated environmentalist particularly Ford Griswold Tony R. Harper Robert L. Kalez Brian Macdonald Jeffrey Hillman Caroline Kirrage Aurele Lamontagne Martha Meader David Groff Joseph L. Harris William D. Kalm Brant MacDuff protect them over the long term. focused on the cold water fisheries of the Pacific Elise Hinken Stephen J. Klarquist Ron Landskroner Dean Meece Ted Gross Joshua Harris William Kamitakahara Patricia Machado Northwest, Alaska, and British Columbia. Richard Hinton George R. Klein Christina Lane Robin Meek Stuart Grossman Laura Harrison-Leeds Mark Kane Mr. Cargill MacMillan III Our first three Ambassadors represent some of Matthew Hirschfeld Rick Klein Hugh Lane Amanda Mercier Arthur Grunbaum Elizabeth Hart Gregg Kanter and Sally MacMillan WSC’s longest-standing conservation partners, Jeff Hickman taught himself to fly fish at a young Stacy Hoffman Calvin Knight Ray and Stephanie Lane Josh Metten David Grusin Stephen W. Hatfield Lawrence Kao Josh Maddoc Karen Hojnowski Taylor Knowles Claire Lang Gary Mikesh dedicated to the stewardship of key wild fish age and went on to work in fly shops, guide in Or- Gigi Guest Richard Hawes Jonathan Kaplan and Sarah Catherine Madsen Brady Holden William Knowles Allan R. Larson Jordan Millar strongholds: egon and Alaska, and even manage a bonefishing Phillip Guettler Malarkey Deborah Mailander Katherine Holler Michael Koerner Dennis Larson John D. Miller lodge in the Bahamas. Jeff has been guiding since Stacy Kara Emily Maitino Lisa Holm The Kongsgaard - Goldman Robert Laskey Sequoia Miller Kate Crump grew up in Virginia but found her Emeritus WSC board members Pete Soverel and Jack Kathy Karn John and Jane Malarkey 2002 and now owns and operates Fish The Swing, Victoria Holzendorf Fund at Seattle Foundation Michael Laukitis William F. Mink calling as a salmon fisherman in the wilderness of Jeanne-Marie Kaufmann Ivan Marcotte a guide and outfitter service specializing in steel- Stanford. Mark Hommel Steven G. Kohl David Laurance Mintkeski Family Fund of Stephanie Kaza Margaret Keyes Trust Washington. Kate and her husband Justin co-own Richard Hough III Jeffrey and Molly Kohnstamm Michael Lawson The Oregon Community head fishing on the Deschutes, Clackamas, and Lucas Keiser Nicolas Margaritis Frigate Travel, which specializes in all-inclusive Travis Houston and the Kohnstamm Family Justin Lebrun Foundation coastal rivers in Oregon, as well as the Dean River Charles A. Keller George Marino Fiona Howes Foundation Peter J. Lee Jareb Mirczak guided experiences in Bristol Bay, Alaska, and Jack Keller Scott Marr in British Columbia. Jeff is a passionate conserva- Lori Howk Jim and Maureen Kosa Roman Lee Dave Mitchell coastal Oregon. She also serves as an ambassa- Loretta Keller Michael J. Mars tionist with a unique knowledge of wild fish, their Bruce Huber Kim and Jay Kosa Desmond Leech Moccasin Lake Foundation Barbara Kelley Jeffrey Martin dor for Patagonia, Fishpond, and other leading Pete Humphreys Paul Kranhold Richard Leeds and Anne Sam Moersfelder ecosystems, and the challenges they face. Kelly Kenney Mark D. Martin brands, and is a staunch advocate for protecting Molly Hunter David Kraus Kroeker and the Wildlife Peter Moister William R. Kessler James and Sara Martineau Holly Hunton Dale Krenek Forever Fund Patrick Moloney Bristol Bay from the Pebble Mine and reforming Stay tuned throughout the year as WSC continues Steve Kett Megan and John Martinelli Donald O. Hutchison Eva Kronen Judith Lehman Ambrose Monell harmful logging practices in coastal Oregon. to build our Ambassador Council program and Sameer Khanna Stephen J. Martinelli Steve Hutchison Jerry Kuhn Eric Lemelson Michael Montgomery announces opportunities to engage with its mem- William Kiefel Kathryn Maschmann William and Barbara Julie Kummel Roger Leo John Moody Ken Morrish has worked in the fly fishing industry Mitchell Kiesler Don Mason bers. And please consider finding WSC Ambassa- Hutchison Valentin Kushnirchuk The Leo Model Foundation and Carlene Moore for over 30 years. In 1999 he launched Fly Water Marshall Kilduff Mike Matysik William Hutto E. R. Labbe Marjorie Russel Chris Moore dors online to book your next fly fishing adventure! Alice Isaacman Seán Killeen Lisa Mayberry Gordon Moore Travel, a fly fishing travel company specializing

28 WSC Staff WSC 29 2019 Donors (cont.) Michael Moore Linda D. Nelson The Elinor K. Ogden Living Jack Palmer Elizabeth Petersen Aaryn Richard Christina Sbrocchi Harry Singer Jan Suwinski Vidinsky Family Fund William Moore III Scott Nelson Trust and Elinor and Bill Paul Palmer Brad Peterson Andrew S. Richter Carol Schaffer Maryjo Sjoden Tim Swan Daniel Vining Chuck and Melinda Moos Anthony Nethercutt Ogden Wright Palmer Joel Peterson Ronald S. Richter Amy Scheele David Skopin Andrew Swanson Eric von der Heyden Candice Morgan William H. and Sally Neukom James W. O'Keefe John M. Parrish Tiggy Pettifer Taft C. Ring Ed Scheibelhut Alex Sliwinski Jerry Swanson John and Fran von Schlegell Dallas Morgan Neumeier Taylor Foundation William O'Laughlin Livingston Parsons Gloria J. Pfeif Troy Rintz John Schell Craig Smelter Kaola Swanson Vicki Voros Andrew Morley Fund Jonathan Olch Megan Parsons Gwynne Pfeifer Ciara Ristig Ronald Schell Jason K. Smesrud Scott Swanton Jerry Wagner James Morrell Kaitlin Newman Tim O'Leary Mary E. Patno Charles and Jennifer Phelps, Sarah A. Rith David Schemel Charles Smid John F. Swift Marie Wakefield

Kevin Morris Clay Newton Kenneth Edward Olivier & Jeremy Patterson Ritz Family Foundation Beverlee Roberts JoAnn Schlachter Calvin Smith Paul Swigart Alison Wald Brian Kelley William B. Morris The Nicholas Endowment Angela Nomellini Christine and Rodman Patton Renee Phelps Eric W. Roberts Fund Nick Schlegel Julian Smith Henry T. Swigert Erik Waldin Cindi Morrison Fund Adam Olscamp Bill Pauli Petra Phillips Janet Roberts Kelly Schoeppler Max Smith Peter Swinford Brooks Walker “I would advise anyone to be proactive and to do estate Frank Morse Neal A. Nielsen Eric Olson Audie J. Paulus and Kino Wilson Phillips Marc Robertson Nicholas Schoeps Michael Smith Kay Syrrist David H. Walker planning now, while you can—to think about what you Randy Morton Courtney Nielson James O'Neill Crooke Franklin & Dorothy Piacentini Linda Robinson James Scholl Clay Snaza Emily Taira Pic Walker and the Vermont want your legacy to be.” Walt Mintkeski, WSC donor Edith M. Moser Jennifer Nolan Tom O'Neill Paul Pavich Charitable Trust Heather Rodbell Holly Scholles Anthony Snider John Tangney Community Foundation John G. Motlow Normandy Corporation and Phil and Cassy Ordway - Maunsel B. Pearce Linda Pierce John Rodelli Schwab Charitable Fund Soka Piiwa Foundation Abigail Tatkow Robin Walker Jason Motte Michael D. Mercier Nushka Fund Joel Pearish Gordon Pignato Christopher Roderick and Lawrence and Pamela David Solnit Benjamin R. Taylor K.C. Walsh David Moxness Miles J. Novy Michael Oreste Rodney Peck William Pihl Dennis Rogers Garlick Craig Solum James Terborg Charles F. Walton PLANNED GIVING: Andrew R. Moynihan Elizabeth Noyes Tiana Ormsby Peter Pelikan Sumner Pingree Ian Rogers Kurt Schwarz Willard Soper Michael Tevlin Mike Walton John Mullin Sanders Nye Paulette Orth Cody Pemberton Meg Pitman Jeff Rogers Ed Scott Bailey Sory AJ Thackrah Lincoln Ware A powerful commitment to wild Megan Myers Ben Nyssen Jeffrey Orum Fred Pendergast Frank Pizzo John Rogers Matthew Scott Michele K. Souligny Thendara Foundation Mike Watt Stephen E. Myers Roy and Susan O'Connor and Bernard Osher Allen Penn Alan Platt Elisa Roiz Robert G. Scott Kenneth L. Spalding Carn Thomas Dennis Wavrin salmon strongholds Amy Myoraku The Merlin Foundation Mark Ostrom Heidi Perry Charles Plopper Van Rollo Ryan Scott Spark Charitable Foundation Helen Thompson Casey Webb Oti Navarro David Odell William B. Otteson John W. Person Sally B. Polk Mark Romanini Mark Seacat and Furman and Susan Stephen Thompson Gene Weber If history has taught us anything, it’s that while our Charles Nelson Tasha Odom Bryan Overcarsh Randall M. Peterman Tom Popowich James Romberg William Seaman Moseley Nick Thorpe William F. Weege most extraordinary rivers are still strongholds for Eric Nelson Lewis Ofstein Dexter Paine Steve Porter Charles B. Root Eli Secor Sherman Sparks Kayla Tidmore L. Mark Weeks wild fish today, their well-being is by no means as- Will Poston Steven Rose John and Dorcy Seethoff Jon Spath TMT Charitable Foundation Harold Weight sured. Protecting our best wild salmon watersheds Front from left to right: Olympic Peninsula field tour with Mara Zimmerman (Coast Salmon Partnership), Lau- Prairie Foundation and Colin David Ross Pearl Seiden James M. Spencer Travis Toelkes Randall Weisberg will take a long-term, multigenerational commitment. ren MacFarland (Quinault Indian Nation Division of Natural Resources/ QIN), Andrea Keller-Helsel (Hewlett and Martha Moseley Cassia Roth Priscilla Seimer Douglas C. Spieske John Tomke John Weisel Foundation), Nicole Cordan (Pew Charitable Trust), Amee Pacheco (WSC), Anji Moraes (Vulcan), Julie Turrini Steve Pratt Diana Rothman Peter Seligmann and Lee Alan Springer Joe H. Tonahill Richard E. Weiss Making a bequest to Wild Salmon Center is a Valerie Prestidge Kathryn Rowe Rhodes Elizabeth Stair Tom Toretta Deke and Hope Welles Fund powerful way to remember the beautiful rivers and (Resources Legacy Fund), Gary LaLonde and Freddie Cole (QIN); back row Ryan Miller (QIN), Jess Helsley Priya Prins Carl Ruetz Joseph Selle Roy Stein Carol Tova Newman of the Toledo Community (WSC), Steven Malloch (Resources Legacy Fund), Franklin Pope, Jr. (QIN). Peggy Printz Chuck Rund Paul Senior Debbie Stempf Charles and Carol Travis Foundation, Inc. landscapes that mean the most to you—the ones Juan Puga Theodore Russell Gary Seput David Stensby Christopher Travis Eric Wells you want to see thrive today, tomorrow, and for Molly Weeden Pyne Ladd D. Rutherford Dimitri Sevastopoulo Michael and Tania Stepanian Carolyn Treffer Theron Wells generations to come. Bob Quaccia Andrew Sabin Family Steven M. Shapiro Leo Stern Leslie Tregillus Pat Welsh Robert Radasch Foundation William Sharfman Yaniv Stern Mark Trenholm WEM Foundation and Right now, WSC has a remarkable opportunity to Jonah Raether Matt Sabisky Mary T. Sheehan Terry Sternberg Wendy Tsien Whitney and Betty do more with your planned gift: an anonymous do- Edgar K. Ragsdale Dr. Yale Sacks Jan Sheldon William Stivers Margaret and Thomas MacMillan nor has offered to match all new bequests to WSC, Guido and Lee Rahr Carl Safina Robert Sheley STLRB Family Foundation Tuchmann Zachary Wenner Lynn Ransford Oxana Sagaydachnaya Paul Shelley Angela Stofsky Scott Tucker Helen Westbrook doubling your impact for wild fish. Amy Rawn The Sage Fund Mark Shelton Richard Stoltze Jamie Tyler Aelwen Wetherby There are many ways to start building your strong- Katherine Rea Sharon Samson Scott Shepherd David Stone John Tyler Lisa White Reese Family Charitable Joseph Sandri Ryan Shopay Arthur A. Strauss Lynda Ulrich Tomlinson White hold legacy. We welcome the opportunity to work Foundation Christopher Santella Tom Shrifter Molly Strong Christopher Untch David Whitney with you (or your advisors) to create a plan that fits Kathryn Refi Glenn Saruwatari Moshe Shtilman Rob Stuart Charles Van Dyke R. D. Wiancko your needs and supports our work to ensure these Joe and Shirley Regan Jeff Sasaki Richard and Anne Shull Barbara Studer Suzanne Van Loon Lindsey Wickert globally-important ecosystems continue to benefit Adam Resnick Yohhei Sato Anna Siebach-Larsen Louise K. Stumph Tanner Van Orden Eric Wickizer our children and grandchildren. Jonathan Rettmann Patrick Saunders Gretta Siegel Joe Sugura Roger Van Voorhees James Wicks Javier Reza Claudio Saunt Mitchell Siegler Anne E. Supina Menka Vansant Steve Widman To learn more, or to tell us about your existing plans, Daniel Rhodes Tristan Sawtwll Gordon Simpson Wolfgang Surmann Kyle Vassilopoulos Jeff Wieland contact Kim Kosa at [email protected] or Scott Rhodes Philip Sawyer Will Sims James Sutton Henk Vervloedt Patrick Wilder (971) 255-5562, or visit wildsalmoncenter.org/legacy.

30 WSC Staff 31 2019 Donors (cont.) Susan Wilder Caroline Wood Raymond Bailey in honor of Laurel Bunce in honor of Ron Charles Van Dyke in honor of Patrick Minchin Rebecca Ratliff Justin Tulk Fuerst Group Inc Carrie Wilks Megan Wood Megan Spagnola Byers David K. Welles Noel Morrill Jeff H. Reese Bob Waters Google.org M.V. Williams Foundation, Andrew Wright Taryn Black in memory of Linda Cadzow in honor of Menka Vansant in honor of Kevin and Gail Murphy C. M. Rockwell Natalie Watson Johnson & Johnson Family of Inc. and Bruce C. Williams Mary Ann Wright Kate Krupetsky Ben Cooper Michelle LaFriniere Terry Nelson Adam Rosen Peter G. Williamson Companies Matching Gifts David Williams Mariusz Wroblewski Ann Blaker in honor of Susan Patrick Camp in honor of Daniel Vining in honor of Thien Nguyen Brent Ross Donald Woods Program Leslie Williams Jeffries Wyman Gunn Geoffrey Camp Margaret A. Vining Jasper Paakkonen Ellen Saunders Andrew Yost L3 Harris Michael Williams Wyncote Foundation Liam Blodgett in honor of Katherine Cleland in honor of Dennis Wavrin in memory of Amee Pacheco and Patrick Gary Sherwin Lam Research William Williams Northwest Sergey Frolov Valerie Cleland Maureen Wavrin McCoy Joel Siedenburg Matching Gift McMenamins Janet Williamson Kyle Yasuda Paula Blomenberg in honor Nathan Coffey in honor of Zachary Wenner in honor of Jason Parker Stephen Starke Companies Microsoft Giving Program Michael Willis Todd Yorke of Michael Toulouse Tom Coffey Daniel Litt Tami Paulus Patrick Stoneking Alaska Airlines Salesforce.org James Wilson Carol Young Nicole Borau in honor of Tom Kirsten Collins in honor of Brian Kelley Lindsey Wickert in honor of Medwin Peck Chip Stringer Apple, Inc. James Wilson Stanford C. Young & Marilyn Hower Yvon Chouinard What inspires artist and WSC donor Sheila Dunn? Andy Clark David & Ellen Phelps Tye Sundlee Bank of America Matching Jim Wilson Henry Zarem Glenn Brackett in memory of Lynda Dalton in memory of See her video at salmonc.org/videos. Robert Wade Eric Wickizer in honor of Chris Pizey James Teal Gift Program John D. Wimberly Craig F. Zarling Russell Chatham Michael Toulouse Franklin Wickizer Mark Poltorak Ikaika Torres Columbia Sportswear Co. Turner A. Wingo Pamala Zimmerman James E. Brennan in memory Kent Davenport in memory of Bruce McNae (World Susan Wilder in honor of Donald Winn Mitch and Holly Zuklie of David Brennan Gordon Davenport Rory Finney in honor of Seán Killeen in honor of Carol Wilder Grandmother Agnes Baker Paulette Stewart Salmon Forum), Ian Walt Winslow Arthur O. Brooks in honor of Louise Denny in honor of McAllister (Pacific Wild), Caroline Wood in honor of Kevin and Anne Winthrop Honor and Memorial Sam Brooks Robin Hubbard Pilgrim Nancy Korutz in honor of Wild Salmon Center has Christine Furlanetto in Michael Korutz and Dr. Pat Freeny. Brian Porter FINANCIALS: Loring H. Winthrop Gifts Amanda Brotman in honor of Murray Devine in honor of Statement of Activities received consistently high Robert Wise Steven Aguilu in honor Jeffrey Brotman Sam Snyder memory of Ralph G. David Kraus in honor of Dick Stronghold Guardians For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019 Osterman Blewett Elisa Roiz in memory of ratings for sound fiscal James Wolfensohn and of United States Bryn Mawr College Kristen Ellard in honor of Glenn Roiz (Monthly & Quarterly management from Charity the Wolfensohn Family Environmental Protection Department of Russian in Laurence Barry Amanda Galton-Valle in Christina Lane in honor of Donors) honor of Calire Galton Laurie M. Rahr James Romberg in honor of REVENUE Navigator. Foundation Agency honor of Jeremy Brooks Barbara Ewell in honor of Tom Jay Anonymous Mark Wolff Chris Bailey in honor of Liam Robert Budd in honor of Michael Toulouse S. Tony Garvey in memory of Michael Lawson in honor of Steven Aguilu Government Bruce Hill John D. Lawson Cassia Roth in memory of 15.6% Kevin Wollscheid and Solon Bailey Nicholas Anderson Jeremy Brooks Brandon Baker Donald Grade in honor of James Lilly in memory of James Behnke Wild Salmon Center has Joel T. Grade Michael Toulouse Claudio Saunt in honor of Jordan Benshea Other revenue been awarded the “Best in Greg Knox (SkeenaWild), Lindsay Eberts, Mariusz Wroblewski (WSC), Aaron Hill (Watershed Watch Salmon Jeremy Brooks Individuals David Gulick in honor of Ann Littlewood in honor of Justin Boucher 3% America” Seal of Excellence Society), Ivan Thompson (WSC Board), Scott Carlson (Coastal Rivers Conservancy) at 2019 WSC event. David K. Welles Gabe Barnes Mary T. Sheehan in honor of 46.9% $6,116,357* Michael Toulouse Robert Bricca by the Independent Charities Laura Hanson in honor of Adam Lynch in honor of Jake Charlie E. Chambers Mark Hanson Roy Robert Sheley in memory of of America and Local Keith Hansen Christine Den Adel Foundations Independent Charities of Mary Henning in honor of Jeffrey Martin in honor of Shawn Stephen Dettman Will Sims in honor of Louise 28.1% America. This signifies that, Brian Lanahan M. Martin David Drouin and Evelyn Sims Corporations Joyce Hill in memory of Bruce Dean Meece in honor of Jacob David Ebinger upon rigorous independent Harry Singer in honor of 6.3% Hill Meece Susan Finkel review, the organization met the highest Richard Hinton in memory of Amanda Mercier in honor of David K. Welles David Skopin in honor of Erik Simon Finney EXPENSES standards of public accountability, as well Jeremy Brooks David King Yetsuh Frank as program and cost effectiveness. Travis Houston in honor of Kevin and Gail Murphy in honor Skopin Craig Solum in honor of Mary C. Hanlon Fundraising Marcia and Gary Beachman of Ken Guinasso Bertil Harström Molly Hunter in honor of Amy Myoraku in memory of Richard Stoner 13% James Sutton in honor of Taylor K. Hesselgrave Mack Hunter Michael Toulouse Stephanie Johnson Steven Jetter & Phillip Program Expenses Barbara and William P. Courtney Nielson in honor of Matthew Kenny Hutchison in honor of Adam Nielson Fieseler Administrative $6,032,973 80% Kaola Swanson in honor of Gary Liepitz Robert Van Dyk Elizabeth Petersen in honor of Margaret Lindley 7% Dysa Kafoury in memory of Virginia Birkby Robert Van Dyk WSC is a grantee of The Conservation Stephen Thompson in honor Sarah Lonigro Alliance, a group of outdoor industry Michael Toulouse Linda Pierce in memory of John Kate Malone Kimmich Gregg Kanter in memory of B. Parks of Helen Thompson companies that disburses collective Charles and Carol Travis in Joseph Marsh Neil Buchbinder Peggy Printz in memory of Susannah May annual membership dues to grassroots William Kiefel in honor of Michael Toulouse memory of Howard Johnson Christopher Untch in honor Jerry P. McKnight *Revenue includes new funds raised during each calendar year, environmental organizations. Week 6 Silver H. Group Ronald S. Richter in honor of Patricia McManus contributions pledged for work in future years. Arthur Richter of Richard and Carol Untch

32 Robert Wade 33 Wild Salmon Center Staff Board of Directors

David K. Welles, Chairman, Ohio Guido Rahr, President Featured Board Members Tom Hansen & Chief Executive Frank L. Cassidy, Jr., Washington Emily Anderson, Alaska Program John Childs, Massachusetts Tom Hansen Entertainment lawyer, Los Angeles Director John Dixon, Washington Board member since: 2018 Oakley Brooks, Communications Rick Halford, Alaska Director Tom Hansen, California Why WSC? “I grew up fishing the ocean, the surf, and local lakes and rivers in L.A., as Jody Creasman, Graphic Designer Loretta Keller, California well as the Sierras. On the Tugur River in Russia a few years ago, Guido brought to my Ramona DeNies, Senior Writer Steven Kohl, Virginia attention the tremendous work WSC was doing to protect wild salmon, the life blood of Tim Elder, Ph.D., Southwest Oregon Kirill Kuzishchin, Ph.D., Russia Program Manager Ray Lane, California the enormous North Pacific. That really inspired me.” David Finkel, VP of Development Nate Mantua, Ph.D., California & Communications and Executive Nikita Mishin, Russia Loretta Keller Chef/Restaurateur, San Francisco Director of The Stronghold Fund Randall Peterman, Ph.D., Board member since: 2017 Loretta Keller Jessica Helsley, Washington Program British Columbia What draws you to salmon? “I come from British Columbia, so I was raised on salmon Director Daniel Plummer, California Kathy Holler, Chief Financial Officer Guido Rahr, Oregon and had the scent of cedar, fir, and moss in my nose from birth. One of my favorite Kacy Holven, Staff Accountant Fraser Rieche, British Columbia rivers now is the Sapsuk, aka Hoodoo River in Alaska, on the Aleutian Peninsula, for its Lori Alexander Howk, Sr Media Design Mary Ruckelshaus Ph.D., remoteness, the chance to encounter all five species of Pacific salmon blasting in from Manager Washington Kim Kosa, Development Director Ilya Sherbovich, Russia the Bering Sea, major wildlife, as well as volcanos and a fabulous night sky.” Betsy Krier, Fish Habitat Specialist, Ivan Thompson, British Columbia Olympic Peninsula April Vokey, British Columbia Nate Mantua Research scientist, Santa Cruz Sara LaBorde, Executive Vice President Mitch Zuklie, California Board member since: 2019 Hollye Maxwell, Executive Assistant Why WSC? “I love the fact that WSC targets strongholds all around the Pacific Emeritus Amee Pacheco, Sr Grants Manager Rim, and that they partner with and empower local groups for effective and lasting Audie Paulus, Development Manager Serge Karpovich Matt Sloat, Ph.D., Director of Science Dmitry S. Pavlov, Ph.D. conservation actions. I also love the way they put salmon-oriented science into action.” Sam Snyder, Ph.D., Alaska Sr Peter W. Soverel (Founder) Favorite places to fish: “Anywhere in Steelhead Country, from northern British Campaign Manager Jack Stanford, Ph.D. Columbia to California’s Big Sur coast.” Ellie Stair, Development Assistant Mark Trenholm, Coastal Program Director Bob Van Dyk, Ph.D., Oregon and From left to right: Mitch Zuklie, Loretta Keller, and Todd True; Nate Mantua, Sara California Policy Director Mariusz Wroblewski, Western Pacific LaBorde, and Matt Sloat; Audie Paulus, Rick Halford, and Emily Anderson; Deke Welles, Nate Mantua Program Director Mark Johnstad, Daniel Plummer. Photos by Robert Wade.

Consultants Dr. Mikhail Skopets, Science Fellow Our Sensational Staff (Selfies) Front cover: Schooling pink salmon in British Columbia (April Bencze). These are extraordinary times, and as such, Back cover: Great Bear Rain Forest our annual staff photo has become our selfie bear cubs (Ian McAllister). mosaic. From the homes and home rivers of our staff to yours, be safe and well.

34 35 Wild Salmon Center 721 NW Ninth Ave, Suite 300 Portland, OR 97209 (503) 222-1804 wildsalmoncenter.org