Beyond the salmon crisis: Northwest may face broad loss of freshwater species

Freshwater fish populations across the Northwest are declining sharply, with migratory species down 81% worldwide since 1970 and Salish Sea Chinook salmon down 60% since 1984. Researchers are using eDNA technology to map lesser-known species like lampreys, mussels, and dace that are crucial to the ecosystem but understudied. Washington’s cross-border collaboration between tribes, state agencies, and nonprofits offers a model for conservation, with efforts focused on habitat restoration and removing fish passage barriers on private land.