I like stories! Stories entertain and hold cultures together more than any other form of human communication because only humans meeting and talking transfers the best stories; no electricity needed. The story of the salmon of the Northwest is that it has survived, evolved, and prospered for tens of thousands of years and this magnificent creature is now faced with extinction. Why? Because of us, that's why! And to tell the story, we must look deeply and honestly into our culture and our true values. We all seem to know the price of most everything, but frequently we understand the value of too little.

We humans are an arrogant and greedy bunch when it comes to caring for something outside ourselves or our immediate family and friends, especially if it costs us a buck. We love our salmon and steelhead, but what if we really must do something to preserve these wonderful creatures for the future. Are these fish really worth it and are we truly committed?

The recent listings under the Endangered Species Act resulted in a set of rules (4d rules) designed to prevent the total loss of our salmon. However, these rules may require some changes in both the Northwest's philosophy and economy, and these regulations may, and most probably will not be enough. So why should we do all this for a fish and why can't artificial fish production (hatcheries) take care of things. After all, "a fish, is a fish, is a fish". Why spend all these dollars on salmon when we could just let them go like California's Golden Bear, the passenger pigeon, and all the other species of life disappearing each day.

Since I am not smart enough to know all the answers or tell you the best story, I asked some top fisheries scientists at a recent salmon seminar to answer my question. Dr. Robin Waples, a geneticist for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and others provided the most succinct answers. These are summarized with some of my own thoughts following. Here's the why in two parts: 1) Why save the salmon and, 2) why the wild salmon and not hatchery salmon are the ones to save:

Why Save Salmon?

The cultural history of the Northwest is identified "with" and "as" the salmon. Salmon were the dominant animal before the Native Americans even got here. It fed these people and established the basis of many of their cultures, becoming a part of their spirituality. Even in the year 2000, most identify the salmon as an unbroken symbol of the Pacific Northwest and it is the icon of a healthy and functional environment. Can you not agree with this?

The spiritual effect of salmon on our history is most closely identified with Native Americans. There is a lot of horse manure being spread about spirituality these days and its not hard to find a corral full in front of anyone. Many even try to make a buck off of spiritual items for sale. Something has been lost in modern times, but those cultures dependent on the salmon did really exist at one time. These cultures did not separate themselves from the earth around them and gave thanks, not worship, to a creature that sustained their very existence. How much do we really give thanks to the earth in our culture and spirituality (not religion) these days?

Economics always seems to play a part in any human story. We literally cannot survive without economics and trade in human culture. This was not important until the arrival of humans. When humans appeared (Native Americans), the salmon trade became a part of the economic fabric of the culture. With the arrival of the European culture, it became advanced and far greedier. We humans initiated the current problems. Only now, with so few fish, is the salmon economy threatened. It is not just the direct kill or take of salmon, but all the fringe or spin-off economies surrounding the salmon as a product of trade. Can we protect the salmon economy and save the salmon or is it more important to save the salmon?

Diversity has become a popular operative word of our current culture. Both social (human) diversity and species (other than human) diversity. Each time a species goes extinct, the total species population diversity is diminished. Diversity is good, normal, and natural. It promotes life. Diminishing diversity is bad, not normal, and unnatural. It limits more life. Geologically speaking, one species every one thousand years would become extinct in the past due to natural selection. Today, in the most intelligent and advance society the earth has ever know, an estimated 32 species become extinct every day. Does this make any sense to you as an intelligent human being?

The life history of the salmon is not one of a functioning animal totally separate and independent from other species. The salmon is part of a whole and it has a purpose in being a salmon. Its existence feeds other species just as other species feed the salmon. Whether in the Pacific Ocean or a northwest river, nature depends on the salmon, always attempting, but never achieving a balance. The salmon is a great nutrient transporter, and when absent or reduced, watersheds and the species therein suffer or disappear. Can other species as well as man suffer the consequences of salmon extinction and what is the price paid for this act?

The salmon is a keystone species for both marine and terrestrial environments. This simply means that the health of the salmon is an indicator of the health of the species with which it evolved. Salmon are really important. Humans need to pay attention here. If the salmon is doing poorly, other species dependent on salmon are doing poorly and ecosystems can collapse. Humans are part of ecosystems, like it or not, and the salmon indicates the health of the world around us. Is it not time to seriously consider the story the salmon is telling us about the health of the rest of our earth?

Why Wild Salmon?

The ecosystem function has evolved from naturally spawning wild salmon. When wild salmon are not present, the ecosystem does not behave naturally or properly. Hatchery salmon (artificials) have not performed to replace the wild salmon component in the ecosystem. No matter how much money, time, effort, or just plain horse manure has been spent, the artificial production of salmon has not been able to replace lost wild salmon. Just read what the professionals say people, this is not a secret. Should we as an intelligent form of human life allow this to continue without asking why.

Each salmon is a biological component of the natural world. All living species progress by passing along genes. The best genes are those which have proved successful by passing the test of time, more appropriately known as natural selection. There is no other way to continue a successful species than the process of natural selection. Darwin knew this and told us this story 150-years ago. This is the basic theory of life and biology. Hatchery fish, raised in an artificial environment, cannot propagate the genetic diversity or fitness to continue a species. Scientifically speaking, wild salmon prevent a "genetic bottleneck" which eventually implodes the species and leads to rapid extinction. If you don't believe genetics, what evidence do you have that is better, and please always remember that extinction is forever?

Sustainability should be a question raised by anyone. If continued hatchery interference is allowed, how can it be sustained without a genetic infusion from wild fish? The answer, it can't! The population of hatchery stock is by its very nature limited and tenuous. Few fish equates to many eggs and little genetic diversity in a hatchery fish. This goes against all the biological laws of the continuation of a species. It opposes the theory of natural selection chosen by the earth. If dependence on hatchery salmon dominates, how sustainable is the species?

Irreversibility is perhaps the ultimate question. If we do not protect wild salmon, if we do not adhere to good and reasonable scientific practice, if we depend on our techno-arrogance and things progress beyond a point we cannot reverse, the thesis is irreversible. No matter what we do, we cannot bring back the natural state. There will be no, or not enough salmon to do it. This is where you will see grown men cry. Are we prepared to bet everything on hatcheries and risk irreversible consequences?

Society's commitment is the final component. We as the human species, will control what is to happen. Our choices are not that hard. We can either continue to place the "salvation eggs" in the hatchery basket, which has proven to not work and cannot work, or we can do what is right. Rescuing wild salmon is rescuing ourselves. Are we committed enough to save wild salmon even if it costs us something and are we prepared to live our values and not be bought at a price?

Conclusion

We are the most dominant, intelligent, and controlling species ever to have existed on the earth. The individual choices we make guide the future, not only of the salmon, but of ourselves. There will be only one ending to the story of the salmon. Salmon will eventually become extinct or its story will continue to those who will tell it long after our bones nourish our home. The only salmon question to be answered is: "what is our commitment to our values for ourselves and for our salmon?" - Mike McHam