About Us

Save Our Wild Salmon is a nationwide coalition of conservation organizations, commercial and sport fishing associations, businesses, river groups, and taxpayer and clean energy advocates working collectively to restore healthy, sustainable wild salmon to the rivers, streams and oceans of the Pacific Salmon states.

Spanning seven western states (Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, and Utah), the Columbia-Snake Basin was once home to the world’s most prolific salmon runs. Habitat destruction, poor water management, and dams on the lower Snake River have caused wild salmon and steelhead populations to decline dramatically. Today, thirteen stocks of Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead, including all four remaining Snake River stocks, are listed under the Endangered Species Act. Populations of wild Snake River salmon have shown little improvement since being listed in the 1990s; all are hovering well below levels required for recovery.

Our current priority is an exciting national campaign to restore these endangered salmon and steelhead by removing four dams on the lower Snake River, which in turn will restore the Pacific Northwest's wild salmon and free-flowing rivers as vital economic engines for local communities. We work toward that goal by pushing for increased federal, state and regional commitment to salmon restoration efforts and better enforcement of existing laws. We hold federal agencies legally and publicly accountable for their continued failure to restore salmon, advocate for practical steps to rebuild rural economies dependant on salmon, focus citizen voices urging elected officials to take real action on salmon recovery, and generate broad-based media attention on the economic and ecological value of restored salmon runs to the Northwest.

Our coalition of member groups has a combined membership of over 6 million and is comprised on non-traditional allies that span the range of interests in salmon recovery. Each member organization has its own priorities and positions, yet these groups recognize that the challenge of true salmon restoration means working together toward a common goal. As a result, the Save Our Wild Salmon coalition has grown stronger because of its diversity.