Oregon Sea Grant

Forty-five million years ago, when the Pacific Ocean lapped against the beaches of what is now western Idaho during the Eocene Period, the earliest ancestors of Pacific salmon swam in isolated lakes of British Columbia. These early fish lived entirely in freshwater. However, their destiny was not to exist only in the protected waters of remote mountain lakes. Instead, the Pacific Northwest experienced catastrophic geological upheavals during the intervening eons and forced these fish and their progeny to develop the rich diversity that salmon exhibit today.

Salmon and Estuaries reveals how Oregon Sea Grant researchers are contributing to a road map for how society might set priorities for restoration efforts in the future--and how estuaries should be prioritized in those efforts.