For many people, salmon are the most profound and enduring symbol of the Pacific Northwest. To the Northwest's Native American cultures, the salmon are the very heart of their societies; they mark the turning of the seasons, form a religious focus. To the people who visit the Northwest, the salmon represent unmatched opportunities for fishing and for fish-watching as they make their great migratory runs. The salmon are the economic mainstay of several communities, the opportunity for some of the best fishing in the world right in their "own backyard," and one of the last living examples of the wild character so cherished by the people of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Unfortunately, the salmon runs are decreasing.

The International Year of the Ocean Home Page is a publication of the NOAA Home Page Design and Construction Company