funding for steelhead and salmon monitoring |
action alert
DEMAND FUNDING FOR SALMON AND STEELHEAD MONITORING IN PUGET SOUND
On March 24th, the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives introduced their respective operating budgets for the 2025-2027 biennium. These budgets determine how much state funding will be allocated to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) various programs.
These 2025-2027 budgets allocate $0 to ‘Salmon and Steelhead Monitoring’— a package that includes support for Puget Sound freshwater fisheries monitoring efforts, including steelhead spawning estimates and angler surveys, and fishery planning efforts, including preparation of fishery management plans for steelhead fisheries.
WDFW requested $1.6M to continue this program, also known as the Quicksilver Portfolio. When it was first funded in the 2021–23 biennium budget, the Quicksilver Portfolio did three notable things that directly impact North Puget Sound steelhead:
All of the progress for these northwest Washington river systems is at risk. And yes, this means that without funding for steelhead monitoring in Puget Sound, the Skagit River winter-spring steelhead catch-and-release fishery is on the chopping block!
We are asking our members and fellow anglers to contact their state representatives to voice concern and advocate for a fully funding Quicksilver Portfolio. You can locate your state-level legislators and their contact info here.
Please copy any language from this action alert to support your advocacy. A phone call or an email goes a long way. Multiple follow up calls and emails go even further.
While not flawless, the Quicksilver Portfolio is one of the best available models for steelhead management in the state, and it is imperative that the legislature continue to fund this critical work.
More to come on this issue in the future. Thank you for speaking up for Puget Sound steelhead!
These 2025-2027 budgets allocate $0 to ‘Salmon and Steelhead Monitoring’— a package that includes support for Puget Sound freshwater fisheries monitoring efforts, including steelhead spawning estimates and angler surveys, and fishery planning efforts, including preparation of fishery management plans for steelhead fisheries.
WDFW requested $1.6M to continue this program, also known as the Quicksilver Portfolio. When it was first funded in the 2021–23 biennium budget, the Quicksilver Portfolio did three notable things that directly impact North Puget Sound steelhead:
- Increased monitoring of wild steelhead presence and spawning activity in the Nooksack, Samish, Skagit, Stillaguamish, and Snohomish watersheds
- Developed hydroacoustic/sonar and video monitoring tools on the Skagit, Samish, and Nooksack rivers
- Established catch and release fisheries for wild steelhead on the Skagit and Sauk rivers under a federally approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for 2023-2032
All of the progress for these northwest Washington river systems is at risk. And yes, this means that without funding for steelhead monitoring in Puget Sound, the Skagit River winter-spring steelhead catch-and-release fishery is on the chopping block!
We are asking our members and fellow anglers to contact their state representatives to voice concern and advocate for a fully funding Quicksilver Portfolio. You can locate your state-level legislators and their contact info here.
Please copy any language from this action alert to support your advocacy. A phone call or an email goes a long way. Multiple follow up calls and emails go even further.
While not flawless, the Quicksilver Portfolio is one of the best available models for steelhead management in the state, and it is imperative that the legislature continue to fund this critical work.
More to come on this issue in the future. Thank you for speaking up for Puget Sound steelhead!
More info
If you’d like to dig in further, you can review the budget request and proposed budgets here:
House Budget Proposal (p. 226)
Senate Budget Proposal (p. 224)
WDFW's budget request (p. 183)
2025 Legislative Session: Budget Information
House Budget Proposal (p. 226)
Senate Budget Proposal (p. 224)
WDFW's budget request (p. 183)
2025 Legislative Session: Budget Information