STILLY-SNOHOMISH FISHERIES ENHANCEMENT TASK FORCE DBA SOUND SALMON SOLUTIONS

HABITAT PROGRAM: IN 2023, SOUND SALMON SOLUTIONS WORKED ON 15 HABITAT RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT PROJECTSTHROUGHOUT THE SNOHOMISH, STILLAGUAMISH, AND ISLAND WATERSHEDS TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY AND SALMON HABITAT. WITH THE HELP OF STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, INTERNS, AND STUDENTS, SOUND SALMON SOLUTIONS CONTROLLED 61 ACRES OF INVASIVE VEGETATION AND PLANTED 19,580 NATIVE TREES AND SHRUBS ON 13.12 ACRES.

EDUCATION AND HATCHERY PROGRAMS:OUR HATCHERY LOCATED AT THE WILLOW CREEK SALMON AND WATERSHED EDUCATION CENTER RAISED 40,000 COHO SALMON WHICH WERE THEN RELEASED INTO 8 LOCAL TRIBUTARIES WITHIN LAKE WASHINGTON WATERSHED. VOLUNTEERS HELPED WITH EVERY STAGE OF THE SALMON REARING PROCESS, GIVING OVER 900 HOURS IN THE YEAR 2023.IN 2023 SSS ENGAGED YOUTH AND ADULTS IN LESSONS THAT FORGED A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND SALMON RECOVERY WHILE EMPOWERING PARTICIPANTS TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES FOR THE FUTURE OF PACIFIC SALMON.OUR SALMON IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM BROUGHT COHO SALMON TO 21 SCHOOLS WHERE STUDENTS RAISED THEM FROM THE EGG TO FRY STAGE WHILE LEARNING THE IMPORTANCE OF SALMON TO OUR ECOSYSTEM, ECONOMY, AND CULTURE IN WASHINGTON. STUDENTS THEN JOINED SSS EDUCATORS ON A FIELD TRIP WHERE THEY RELEASED THEIR SALMON INTO A LOCAL STREAM.SSS PARTNERED WITH THE SNOHOMISH COUNTY JUVENILE COURT TO PROVIDE THE YOUTH EXPLORING STREAM SCIENCE (YESS) PROGRAM. YESS ENGAGES YOUTH FROM THE SCJC DIVERSION PROGRAM IN MEANINGFUL AND HANDS-ON WATERSHED SCIENCE EXPERIENCES. YOUTH WHO QUALIFY FOR DIVERSION PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH A CRIME AND SENTENCED TO DETENTION, HOWEVER, DUE TO THE LOW RISK OF RE-OFFENSE, HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE OPTION TO COMPLETE COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE LEARNING WITH SSS. THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL SUCCESS AS WE HAVE SEEN STUDENTS WHO HAD THE 'TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL' PERSONA BLOSSOM INTO BUDDING SCIENTISTS, FULL OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SALMON AND THEIR HABITAT. SSS HOSTED A SUMMER CAMP AT THE HATCHERY IN EDMONDS WHERE CAMPERS SPENT TIME OUTSIDE LEARNING ABOUT THEIR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT AND HOW THEY CAN BE STEWARDS FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. 3 WEEKS OF CAMP WERE OFFERED IN 2023, HOSTING 50 CAMPERS TOTAL. SEVERAL LOCAL SCHOOLS AND SCOUT TROOPS ALSO VISITED THE HATCHERY FOR OUTDOOR FIELD TRIPS.