Spring 2024
Schooling on salmon
“Salmon docents” in Washington’s Kitsap Peninsula provide education about the signature fish of the state. » More ...
Salmon
Spring 2024
Kitsap County Extension water stewardship programs
Helping people appreciate the beauty and ecological value of beaches, streams, and salmon runs is part of Washington State University’s Kitsap County Extension Program.
Each year, local residents train as beach naturalists, stream stewards, or salmon docents. Nearly 100 people completed one of the trainings in 2022. Volunteers donated more than 3,500 hours for education, stewardship, and community science in Kitsap County during the year, including time donated from past trainees who remain active volunteers.
The training empowers people to take action and become stewards of their local environment, says Anna McClelland, interim water stewardship coordinator for Kitsap Extension.
“It gives me … » More …
Summer 2023
Wine and salmon pairings
Red, white, or pink, fatty and flavorful Chinook, or king, salmon requires a varietal to match its richness. » More ...
Summer 2023
Most deafening
Hatchery salmon experience hearing loss and have fewer sensory organs. » More ...
Summer 2023
The salmon king
Chinook salmon are cherished in the Pacific Northwest, but they are declining. » More ...
Summer 2023
Salmon recipes from WSU chefs
Don’t ask LJ Klinkenberg to name a favorite preparation for Chinook salmon.
“For me, there are so many,” says the new director and executive chef of the Marriott Foundation Hospitality and Culinary Innovation Center at Washington State University’s Carson College of Business. “I love to pair the umami richness of seared or grilled Chinook with something that has a little sweet-and-sour flavor with it, like a fruit salsa or a chutney, depending on the time of year.”
To him, Chinook, or king salmon offers the quintessential taste of the Pacific Northwest—the taste of home. The Washington state native grew up northeast of Seattle before … » More …
Fall 2018
Three economists on the Columbia river
Retired Washington State University economist Norm Whittlesey is sitting at his kitchen table with two other retired economists, Walt Butcher and Ken Casavant. They are reminiscing about the collective 150 years they have worked on and around the Columbia River.
“We used to catch steelhead on the Snake River before the dam,” says Whittlesey. “I’ve got a picture of Walt with, what, a 25 pounder?”
Walt Butcher chuckles and says, “That fish might be up to 25 pounds by now.”
Casavant adds, “It’s been growing, even after being eaten.”
With a sweep of his hand across a map of the Columbia River watershed on the … » More …
Fall 2015
Restoring chaos on the Tucannon River
Salmon and other fish need cool, deep pools to spawn and survive in waterways like Washington’s Tucannon River. Washington State University researchers and their colleagues are measuring whether intentional logjams and stream reconstruction is creating better habitat for fish.
Fall 2015
Restoring chaos
WSU researchers seek to prove that an untamed tangle of nature is a prerequisite for long-term salmon survival. » More ...
Summer 2014
Salmon
Back in 1991, the Snake River sockeye was the first of nearly two dozen salmon populations listed as threatened or endangered. To fishermen, scientists, and wildlife managers it seemed that salmon might soon vanish from the waters and traditions of the Pacific Northwest.
Today, many runs are coming back, while more vibrant populations in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska have continued bringing a steady stream of salmon to our plates through the summer, into the fall, and thanks to flash freezing, the winter. Salmon remain a major part of the region’s culture and cuisine, as five Washington State University faculty and alumni can attest in … » More …