Wild Salmon & Steelhead News is published regularly by the Save Our wild Salmon Coalition. Read on to learn about the Columbia-Snake River Basin’s endangered wild salmon and steelhead, the many benefits they deliver to people and ecosystems, and the extinction crisis they face today - unless we act! Find out how SOS is helping lead efforts to restore health, connectivity, and resilience to the rivers and streams these fish depend upon in the Columbia-Snake Basin and how you can get involved to help restore healthy, abundant, and harvestable populations and sustain more just and prosperous communities. To learn more and/or get involved, contact Martha Campos.
1. Connections and Community
2. Court hears arguments for and against advocates’ request for improved dam operations to help endangered fish in the Columbia and Snake rivers in 2026
3. Speak up for salmon and rivers during the Northwest Power and Conservation Council comment period!
4. Calling all artists! Northwest Artists Against Extinction Call for Art 2026
5. Join SOS and friends at upcoming advocacy events!
6. Salmon Media Round-up
Heritage Species © Annie Brulé
Like you, all of us at Save Our wild Salmon are dismayed by what we are seeing across the country – the escalating violence toward immigrants and communities fighting for the protection of human rights, and attacks on democracy and the environment.
What is happening in Minneapolis can and is spreading elsewhere, including the Northwest. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity affects the whole community – when people are afraid to leave home, it impacts schools, daycares, food banks, healthcare centers, and more. Other policies under the current administration call for continued rollback or threats to environmental protections, leaving communities even more vulnerable to health issues and the destruction of the land, waters, and wildlife that are crucial to our economy, culture, health, and well-being.
These issues are all connected. Protecting our neighbors, our communities, and our environment are concentric circles of care that overlap and intersect. In times of uncertainty and an unknown future, we can learn from nature about the resiliency to overcome difficulties and keep our hope and love alive.
In their migration journey, salmon and steelhead travel thousands of miles to reach the ocean and then back to their spawning grounds, giving their lives to people and many other species for sustenance and survival. Salmon deliver marine nutrients hundreds of miles from oceans to support and sustain a diversity of life in communities, rivers, streams, forests, and wildlife. Despite the barriers they encounter, salmon persevere and continue their ancient journey from river to ocean to river to sustain future generations of people, environment, and wildlife.
As salmon and steelhead sustain the next and future generations, we must too. Together, in solidarity, we can protect one another, salmon, rivers, and the environment from institutional violence. We must continue our strong advocacy to envision a world that liberates communities, rivers, salmon, and the environment, and to live freely, authentically, and with love at the center.
2. Court hears arguments for and against advocates’ request for improved dam operations to help endangered fish in the Columbia and Snake rivers in 2026
Speakers and attendees at a press conference held in downtown Portland on Feb. 6, taking place prior to opening arguments for renewed litigation against the federal government to protect endangered salmon runs. Speakers included representatives from Yakama Nation, Earthjustice and the Northwest Energy Coalition. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Underscore Native News)
Several Save Our wild Salmon staff joined other conservation and fishing advocates on February 6 to hear the oral arguments before the U.S. District Court in Portland. Plaintiffs led by Earthjustice, joined by the State of Oregon, are seeking emergency measures to protect imperiled fish populations that are harmed by the Columbia Basin federal hydro-system's dams and reservoirs.
After a four-year pause to allow time for negotiation and collaboration between the federal government and regional sovereigns/salmon advocates, litigation challenging the adequacy of the 2020 Federal Salmon Plan (Biological Opinion) was restarted after the Trump Administration terminated the historic Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement (RCBA) last June. The RCBA was first announced in 2023 by the Biden Administration and an alliance of Six Sovereigns: the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, the Nez Perce Tribe, and the states of Oregon and Washington.
The RCBA represented a critical first step toward realizing the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI), the comprehensive and holistic strategy developed by the Six Sovereigns to recover endangered Columbia Basin fish, invest in communities and infrastructure, and advance new clean energy resources. Despite the termination of the RCBA, the CBRI continues to be the Northwest’s most promising way forward to recover salmon, uphold our nation’s promises to Tribes, and invest in communities and our energy grid.
The termination of the RCBA is an enormous missed opportunity by the federal government to advance collaborative regional solutions, and it left salmon advocates no choice but to return to court and request interim emergency measures to prevent extinction and give these fish a fighting chance to survive and recover.
Attorneys for the plaintiff group represented by Earthjustice, the State of Oregon, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Yakama Nation, Washington State, and federal defendants provided oral arguments over three hours about the emergency injunctive measures that they have requested begin next month.
The 2026 migration season for Columbia and Snake river fish is fast-approaching. Juvenile fish will begin migrating to the ocean in March, about the same time that adult fish begin return to the river in search of their spawning gravels.
According to Earthjustice’s October 14 press release:
- The requested operational changes by plaintiffs are “science-based measures recommended by state and tribal fishery managers that change operations of the current Columbia Basin hydropower system to improve salmon survival as they migrate past dams and reservoirs in the Columbia and Snake Rivers. These changes include increased ‘spill,’ which allows juvenile fish to pass over the dams instead of through lethal turbines, and lowered reservoir elevations, which decreases the time salmon spend migrating through stagnant, overheated waters.”
- “The groups and Oregon are also requesting a set of emergency conservation measures for some of the most imperiled populations that are on the brink of collapse. These include removing passage barriers slowing the migration of Tucannon River spring Chinook, a population that is rapidly approaching extinction, as well as increasing federal efforts to control predators like invasive walleye and some birds that prey on salmon and steelhead.”
After the conclusion of oral arguments, the court encouraged parties to confer and identify common ground on the requested injunctive relief measures and to report back to the court by February 20, 2026. The judge indicated that he would issue a ruling soon afterward.
For more information on the Feb. 6 oral arguments, here are links to two media stories:
- AP: Oregon, Washington and tribes head back to court after Trump pulls out of deal to recover salmon
- Courthouse News: Judge eyes interim dam changes in revived Columbia Basin salmon fight
3. Speak up for salmon and rivers during the Northwest Power and Conservation Council comment period!
The Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NPCC) is now in the process of updating its 5-year Fish and Wildlife Program – a regional plan for mitigating harm to endangered native fish caused by dam and reservoir operations in the Columbia and Snake River Basin.
With the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement abandoned by the current administration and efforts underway to weaken the Endangered Species Act, the NPCC 2026 Fish and Wildlife Program is one of the Northwest’s best opportunities to mitigate further harm to imperiled fish populations caused by hydropower operations in the Columbia Basin and make actionable progress towards recovery goals.
We are extraordinarily appreciative to all of you who have advocated during this current public comment process, whether you submitted a comment online, joined an in-person hearing, or shared this opportunity far and wide with your networks! We are almost at the finish line of this comment process (it closes on March 2!), but we need your help to submit a comment and/or testify at the last NPCC online hearing – on February 24 from 3:30 – 6:00 pm PST.
Please join us in urging NPCC to chart a course towards affordable, efficient, and reliable energy that also protects and restores abundant fish populations.
SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT TODAY to help ensure the Council’s final Fish & Wildlife Program includes:
-
Elevated “spill” over the lower Snake and Columbia river dams through August 31 to protect out-migrating juvenile salmon and steelhead.
-
Accountability for the Bonneville Power Administration to achieve Program goals and its legal obligation to protect and enhance fish populations impacted by the hydropower system.
-
Acknowledges lower Snake River dam breaching as a necessary measure to achieve the Council’s 5 million fish goal – and protect Snake River fish from extinction.
Learn more about submitting a written comment at wildsalmon.org/NPCC
ATTEND THE ONLINE HEARING
Speak up for salmon, rivers, and all who depend on them at NPCC’s last hearing online on February 24th at 3:30pm-6pm PST.
- Register by webinar using this link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar. If you plan to comment, please send your full name and date of this webinar (February 24) to meetingorganizer@nwcouncil.org. Contact CouncilIT@nwcouncil.org with any technical questions.
- Let SOS know you are planning to testify here and we will share resources for the hearing. Thank you again for your advocacy!
4. Calling all artists! Northwest Artists Against Extinction Call for Art 2026
What can you do to make a difference in times like these? MAKE ART that inspires change! Northwest Artists Against Extinction and Save Our wild Salmon Coalition are launching our 2026 open call for Advocacy Art.
We're looking for artwork designed to move hearts and minds this year and in the upcoming fall election, reminding people what’s at stake in our Northwest home. Similar to 2024, we will develop a series of posters, swag, cards, postcards, and digital communications that urge people to keep salmon, orcas, and Tribal justice at the forefront of their hearts and minds when voting in 2026.
This opportunity is open to all artists and all mediums. Create something stunning and inspiring, or share this opportunity with the artists in your life. Submit your artwork by March 30, 2026.
Read more about the 2026 Advocacy Art Call and submission guidelines here.
5. Join SOS and friends at upcoming advocacy events!
Spokane Great Outdoors Expo
When: Saturday Feb. 21 and Sunday Feb. 22
Where: Spokane Convention Center
What: The Spokane Great Outdoors Expo returns, bringing together outdoor gear, adventure travel, bikes, and adventure vehicles, kids' activities, speakers, and hands-on activities all under one roof. Save Our wild Salmon staff and volunteers will be at the Expo facilitating our salmon print-making activity, where participants will use NWAAE-designed stencils to make beautiful salmon prints while learning about the importance of salmon and what we can do to protect them.
Southwest Washington Environmental Advocacy Brunch
When: Sunday, March 1st at 11am
Where: Hidden House Event Space, Vancouver, WA
What: Join us for a morning brunch bringing together environmental and politically engaged folks from across Southwest Washington.
Come build community with fellow advocates working for a healthier and more sustainable Southwest Washington and connect with members and volunteers from groups like Vancouver Audubon Society, Washington Conservation Action, Save Our Wild Salmon, Loo Wit Group, and more.
Hear the People, Heal the River Virtual Action Hour
When: Tuesday, March 24th at 12:30 PT
Where: Zoom
What: Join us in taking collective action to protect salmon and defend the historic progress made towards salmon recovery by attending our monthly Virtual Salmon Advocacy Action Hours! In these action hours, you'll hear updates on issues impacting salmon recovery and the health of the Columbia and Snake rivers, ask questions, and, most importantly, get resources and information about how you can take action.
We hope to see you at these events and check out wildsalmon.org/events for updates on future events.
Here are a couple of recent stories about the urgency and opportunity today for salmon and orca recovery and river restoration:
News:
KOMO News: New Southern Resident orca calf spotted in Strait of Juan de Fuca - Center for Whale Research biologists documented a brand new calf with L pod on February 16, 2026 near Race Rocks, in the Strait of Juan de Fuca (see photo on the right). The calf, designated L129, was travelling with L55 matriline, and was seen alongside both L55 herself and her daughter L103.- Underscore News: Legal Battle Over Columbia Basin Dams Returns to Court
-
Clearing Up: Judge Urges Mediation and Compromise Prior to CRSO Lawsuit Decision
-
Columbia Insight: Trump kiboshed salmon recovery deal. Can this plan fill the gap?
-
News Tribune: The ‘Six Sovereigns’ are fighting for the Columbia River basin’s future. Who are they?
LTEs
