salmon

The Klamath River was once a major habitat for salmon, but hydroelectric dams along the Oregon-California border region caused their population to plummet.

The fish were once abundant but two dams decimated their numbers and it took years for an historic 20-year reintroduction plan to emerge

Conservationists say salmon hatcheries on the Columbia River are harming wild fish populations and the species that need them for food.

Newsom's strategy will depend on a wide range of initiatives, such as removing a number of dams in the Central Valley.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is recommending sending $106 million to 16 salmon and steelhead recovery efforts in five Western states, the federal agency said Thursday.

Data show that despite billions in taxpayer investment, salmon and steelhead hatchery programs and restoration projects in the Columbia River Basin have failed to support or boost native fish populations.

The National Marine Fisheries Service said “extraordinary measures” are needed to address the deficient populations of California Chinook salmon stocks in ocean seasons for 2023.