The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recently released its California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future: Progress Report, developed in partnership with the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) with support from the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).
The Progress Report follows the release of the California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future, released in January 2024. California’s salmon populations are struggling to recover from years of drought, climate disruption, and other environmental and human-made challenges. Thriving salmon populations support healthy waterways, habitats, and species, as well as a multi-million-dollar fishing economy and the subsistence of California Native American tribes. The actions outlined in the report lay the groundwork for California to restore and rebuild salmon populations, improve salmon habitat, and utilize the best available science and management practices to prepare for the future.
“California salmon are vital to our environment, our economy, and our cultural heritage,” said California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “Yet today, these iconic fish are imperiled by climate change and other stressors. We established the Salmon Strategy to chart needed actions to address these challenges and recover salmon fisheries. I’m encouraged by this update and our progress over the last year, with much more hard work ahead.”
The progress report provides an update on the status of 71 action items outlined in the 2024 Salmon Strategy. These action items provide concrete opportunities for the state to make accountable progress across the six key initiatives outlined in the Salmon Strategy to help improve salmon migration, spawning and hatcheries; restore and expand habitat and climate adaptability; and protect water flows and quality.
Of the 71 action items outlined in the Progress Report, roughly 67 percent of the projects are actively in development. Another 26 percent have already been fully completed. Only seven percent of the action items are in the early, preliminary stages. This progress has been completed over the past year through a partnership of California’s departments and boards, tribal partners, and non-governmental groups committed to supporting healthy salmon populations.
“California’s progress on these key action items shows the state is taking salmon extraordinarily seriously, and that we will use every tool at our disposal to create resilient and thriving salmon populations,” said CDFW Director Charlton Bonham. “I’m focused on ensuring California has healthy salmon populations decades into the future. The Progress Report is a celebration of what’s been done, and a roadmap for where we need to go.”
Key action items that have been completed or have seen significant progress over the past year include:
Removing Outdated Dams: Removal of the Klamath dams, allowing for natural river flow and the presence of fall-run Chinook salmon north of the former dams for the first time in more than a century.
Improving Migration Statewide: Planning and development of fish passage improvement locations across the state to support successful salmon migration. Examples include DWR’s Big Notch Project in Yolo County, which will help improve access for salmon and other species through the Yolo Bypass.
Building Healthy Habitats: Advancing the Salmon Habitat Restoration Prioritization Initiative (SHaRP), a collaborative effort between CDFW and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Fisheries to identify, find, and implement key restoration efforts to support salmon. Action plans have been developed and more than $30 million has been allocated for habitat projects across the state. Other recently completed projects, including DWR’s Lookout Slough Tidal Habitat Restoration and Flood Improvement Project, have added thousands of acres of beneficial habitat for salmon in California.
Supporting Healthy Flows: Developing a robust scientific basis to evaluate minimum flows for the Scott and Shasta Rivers.
Implementing New Technology: Utilizing new technologies to monitor and track salmon, including the development of a Parental-Based Tagging monitoring plan, which allows CDFW to use DNA to more accurately track and monitor fish.
Cross-Collaboration: Developing and strengthening new partnerships to allow for vital research and increased collaboration to ensure salmon’s survival.
To download the report, visit: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=231003
