Across the rivers of California and the Pacific Northwest, a quiet but consequential shift is underway among the people who love wild salmon most intimately — the anglers who pursue them. Once characterized primarily by the ethos of the catch, recreational fishing communities are increasingly defined by a commitment to habitat restoration, policy advocacy, and the long-term survival of wild runs. This piece examines how that transformation is happening, why it matters, and what it signals about
Jul 24, 2026
The salmon that once defined the ecology and culture of the San Francisco Bay region are disappearing at a pace that should alarm every resident who cares about the natural world — and every consumer who believes that what they purchase carries moral weight. This is a crisis playing out in our own backyard, and the window for meaningful intervention is narrowing.
Jul 24, 2026