The Decline of Wild Pacific Salmon

Date of Award

5-30-2007

Document Type

Undergraduate Capstone Project

Degree Name

Master of Env Policy Mgmt

Organizational Unit

University College, Environmental Policy and Management

Disciplines

Environmental Policy & Mgmt

First Advisor

Steven Bissell

Keywords

Pacific salmon, Habitat, Washington (State), Puget sound region, Law and legislation, United States

Abstract

As threatened and endangered species, wild Pacific salmon are in peril. This paper discusses the differences of the five species of wild Pacific salmon. As salmon go through several stages of their lifecycles, they face a myriad of threats to their existence. Threats from humans in the form of hydropower dams, habitat destruction, harvesting issues, and hatcheries are explained. A draft recovery plan for salmon in the Puget Sound area of Washington State is used as a case study. Strengths and weaknesses of this plan are discussed. The paper then discusses the need for growth management laws supporting salmon habitat and a change in individual behaviors if wild Pacific salmon sustainability is to become a reality.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. Permanently suppressed.

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