Strength in Community

Working together to build a future for salmon.
“Salmon need all of us. They need each Washingtonian to feel the joy–and the responsibility–when the fish return in the fall. Together, we can ensure salmon’s future.”
 

-Rachel Vasak, Board President, Regional Fisheries Coalition

We're Stronger Together

The Regional Fisheries Coalition (RFC) is the unified voice of Washington’s 14 Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups (RFEGs). Working together for more than 30 years, we build community stream-by-stream, and have created a thriving network of salmon advocates across the state. 

When the State Legislature acknowledged the importance of salmon education by increasing funding to the agency that oversees K-12 public education, our 14 RFEGs—working together and led by the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group—successfully completed Washington’s first statewide Salmon in Schools program. 

Within weeks, we launched a comprehensive Salmon in Schools program that ultimately served 8,720 students at 109 of Washington’s designated high-poverty schools.  

This is just one of the many successes our communities have advanced together for salmon over the past year. Please join me in celebrating this new program that brings important conservation education to our elementary school students across the state.

Thank you for your support!

Rachel Vasak, RFC Board President

Making an Impact for 30+ Years

Fish
Released

90556370

Fish Passage
Projects

1013

Miles of
Stream Opened

1424

Volunteer
Hours

1862548

Salmon
Projects

4611

Miles of
Restoration

2174

THE REGIONAL FISHERIES COALITION

Our programs are statewide; our priorities are local.

As independent nonprofits, the 14 Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups (RFEGs) are community-driven. We know the rivers in our regions intimately, and we know our communities. 

Amplifying salmon abundance:
One community at a time

Habitat

Restoring streams, forests, and shorelines; completing landscape-scale & small projects in partnership with private property owners.

Featured Project
Camp
Coweeman

 

RFEG: Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group

LCFEG is restoring a river degraded by historic logging practices to improve habitat for salmon and steelhead.

Education

Providing experiences that apply classroom learning to the real world; helping curious students to become environmental stewards.

Featured Project
Salmon
in Schools

 

RFEG: Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group

HCSEG partnered with 14 organizations to bring Salmon in the Schools to elementary schools designated as high-poverty across Washington.

Enhancement

Releasing millions of fish yearly, in accordance with regional recovery plans; returning carcasses to provide nutrients to forest & river food webs.

Featured Project
Fry
Restoration

 

RFEG: Willapa Bay Fisheries Enhancement Group

Volunteers are working to restore chum salmon to many northern Willapa Bay streams through the use of Remote Site Incubators.

Monitoring

Training citizen scientists to track and evaluate restoration impacts; involving communities directly in salmon recovery in their watersheds.

Featured Project
Ecosystem
Monitoring

 

RFEG: Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Group

Tracking the survival of trees and shrubs at planting sites, fish presence at in-stream sites, as well as temperature and complete habitat assessment.

funding our work
“Salmon are a critical part of our heritage, culture and environment, and we must do more to protect these endangered species throughout the Pacific Northwest. RFEGs are key to this effort because they empower local communities to engage in environmental stewardship and salmon recovery. I will continue to support their important work and increased resources that will strengthen salmon recovery efforts.”

Matching State & Federal Dollars 1:8

Habitat restoration projects are multi-layered and complex, often requiring several funding sources. State and federal RFEG funds–provided by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the US Fish and Wildlife Service–provide seed money. RFEGs then leverage that funding: for every dollar received we secure an additional $8, greatly amplifying the initial investment.

featured project: implementation funding
Skagit Forks Wetland Restoration

Project reconnects the outlet of Britt Slough through a large wetland complex to the South Fork of the Skagit River, restoring access to critical off-channel habitat for ESA listed Chinook salmon.

Fiscal Year 2022 Funding Sources Included:

$239,000 in feasibility, design and permitting through Salmon Recovery Funding Board

$392,500 in construction through Salmon Recovery Funding Board

$50,000 from Washington Conservation Commission- Conservation Districts

$50,000 from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation -Killer Whale Conservation Fund

$50,000 from the Department of Ecology-Spills Coastal Protection Fund



Total Project Cost: $781,000

Salmon Create Communities;
Communities Help Salmon

For generations, salmon have been at the heart of communities.

Now our communities must partner creatively to help build a future for salmon.

Honoring
a Resource

Salmon are an important part of our cultureespecially that of Tribal communities. RFEGs are honored to partner with local Tribes, who have stewarded this land since time immemorial, for the health of salmon.

Featured Project
Rivers Edge
Revegetation Project

 

 RFEG: North Olympic Salmon Coalition

NOSC is partnering with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Clallam Conservation District, and Washington Conservation Corps to restore approximately 56-acres of riparian habitat in the Dungeness River floodplain.

Streams
as Infrastructure

Healthy streams are vital for salmon and humans. But our reliance on streams has compromised their integrity. It's now essential that we continue to invest in restoration so we can bring these streams back to health for our salmon.

Featured Project
Mill Creek
Fish Passage

 

RFEG: Tri-State Steelheaders

The Mill Creek Fish Passage Project is creating fish passage for a flood control project built by the US Corps of Engineers.

Power
in Numbers

Being community-driven means that we harness the energy and passion of volunteers. With 14 groups around the state, we stay aware of the issues in our communities, and partner strategically to address them.

Featured Project
Ellensburg
Adopt-A-Stream

 

RFEG: Mid Columbia Fisheries

With support from Mid-Columbia Fisheries, 11 community groups have adopted more than 5 miles of urban streams with an ongoing commitment to improve habitat, monitor stream health, and remove trash.

“Salmon are such an important part of our culture, our economy, and our way of life in Washington. That’s why the work the RFEGs are doing to restore habitat throughout our state is so important. By working with people from across our communities, from tribes to local landowners, RFEGs are building a sustainable commitment to salmon restoration, and I am grateful for their vital role in protecting our iconic salmon runs. The critical federal investments we secured in the bipartisan infrastructure bill are helping bolster salmon populations throughout the Pacific Northwest—funding culvert repairs, the pacific coastal salmon recovery fund, and other important efforts. I will keep pushing to make sure the federal government does its part.”

-Senator Patty Murray

2022 Featured Projects

Click on an RFEG to view this year’s featured project.

Nooksack Salmon Enhancement AssociationSkagit Fisheries Enhancement GroupNorth Olympic Salmon CoalitionPacific Coast Salmon CoalitionHood Canal Salmon Enhancement GroupChehalis Basin Fisheries Task ForceWillapa Bay Regional Fisheries Enhancement GroupLower Columbia Fish Enhancement GroupSouth Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement GroupMid Sound Fisheries Enhancement GroupMid Columbia Fisheries Enhancement GroupSound Salmon SolutionsCascade FisheriesTri State Steelheaders

Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association

Featured Project: Monitoring - Plants, Fish, Temperature, and Habitat
RFEG: Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association

NSEA monitors the survival of our trees and shrubs at our planting sites, fish presence at instream project sites, temperature at select sites, and complete habitat assessments at instream habitat sites.

Learn More >

Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group

Featured Project:  Skagit Forks Wetland Reconnection
RFEG: Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group

This important Chinook recovery project reconnects the outlet of Britt Slough through a large wetland complex to the South Fork of the Skagit River restoring access to critical off-channel habitat for Skagit Chinook salmon.

Learn More >

North Olympic Salmon Coalition

Featured Project:  River's Edge Revegetation Project
RFEG: North Olympic Salmon Coalition

NOSC is partnering with the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe,Clallam Conservation District, and Washington Conservation Corps to restore approximately 56-acres of riparian habitat in the Dungeness River floodplain.

Learn More >

Pacific Coast Salmon Coalition

Featured Project: Kugel Creek Culvert Replacement Project
RFEG: Pacific Coast Salmon Coalition

Kugel Creek Culvert Replacement Project opened up several miles of high quality spawning and rearing habitat for coho salmon, provided a safer crossing for users of the Olympic Discovery Trail, and provided firewood for local tribal members.

Learn More >

Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group

Featured Project:  Salmon in Schools
RFEG: Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group

HCSEG partnered with 14 other organization to bring Salmon in the Schools programs to elementary schools designated as high-poverty in Washington State.

Learn More >

Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force

Featured Project: Middle Fork Wildcat Creek Fish Passage Barrier Correction Project
RFEG: Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force

This project will construct 3 fish passage barrier corrections on Middle Fork Wildcat Creek north of McCleary, Washington. This will open access to 4.08 miles of spawning habitat.

Learn More >

Willapa Bay Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group

Featured Project: Restoring Fry to Willapa Bay Streams
RFEG: Willapa Bay

Willapa Bay volunteers are working to restore chum salmon to many of the northern Willapa Bay streams through the use of Remote Site Incubators.

Learn More >

Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group

Featured Project: Camp Coweeman Restoration
RFEG: Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group

LCFEG is restoring a river degraded by historic logging practices to improve habitat for salmon and steelhead.

Learn More >

South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group

Featured Project: Prairie Creek Floodplain Restoration
RFEG: South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group

Building on past work on Prairie Creek, a new project is being designed that will restore floodplain corridor stretching 2.3 miles across more than 300 acres.

Learn More >

Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group

Featured Project: Auburn Parks Community Engagement
RFEG: Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group

Mid Sound is partnering with the City of Auburn to restore streamside areas in local parks, with the help of over 253 volunteers and 63 school kids.

Learn More >

Mid Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group

Featured Project: Ellensburg Adopt-a-Stream
RFEG: Mid Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group

Eleven community groups have adopted more than 5 miles of urban streams with an ongoing commitment to improve habitat, monitor stream health, and remove trash. MCF coordinates the program.

Learn More >

Sound Salmon Solutions

Featured Project: Salish Scientists Summer Camp
RFEG: Sound Salmon Solutions

Salish Scientists is an outdoor summer day camp developed by Sound Salmon Solutions and held at our Hatchery to teach campers about wetland, salmon, and watershed stewardship.

Learn More >

Cascade Fisheries

Featured Project: Merritt Oxbow Project on Nason Creek
RFEG: Cascade Fisheries

The Merritt Oxbow Project raised Nason Creek 3 feet, dug a 900-foot channel to reconnect old oxbow ponds, and installed wood to create rearing habitat for fish.

Learn More >

Tri State Steelheaders

Featured Project: Mill Creek Fish Passage Project
RFEG: Tri State Steelheaders

The Mill Creek Fish Passage Project is creating fish passage for a flood control project built by the Corps of Engineers.

Learn More >

2022
By the Numbers

Fish
Released

2278866

Miles of
Habitat Opened

46

Volunteer
Hours

65158

Fish Passage
Projects

25

Miles of
Restoration

155

Carcasses
Distributed

96588

Photo Gallery

Click on any image for a closer look at our year in pictures.

Learn More & Get Involved

Find Your RFEG

Search the RFEGs to find the group nearest you and learn how you can support their efforts. Click through to our RFEG map to locate a group in your community.

Engage With Us

Donate, attend an event, or volunteer with your local RFEG. Your involvement supports our efforts to protect and restore Washington's vital salmon resource.

Help us continue this critical work

Your support is key to our success. Thank you.

RFEG projects support the sustainability of the salmon resource but they do more than that: they build community, create jobs, encourage environmental stewardship, and activate a new generation of salmon advocates. Please show your support by getting involved, donating, or learning more today.