Wild Salmon Migration and Welfare

Wild salmon face multiple welfare challenges during their spawning migration, including dam barriers, fishing stress, temperature extremes, and exhaustion.

Key Facts

Pacific and Atlantic salmon may travel hundreds to thousands of miles on spawning migrations
Dam barriers force salmon to use fish ladders, which are less efficient than natural river passage
Water temperatures above 21C (70F) cause heat stress and increased mortality in migrating salmon
Catch-and-release fishing during spawning migration causes physiological stress that can impair spawning success
Over 1000 dams in the Pacific Northwest block or impair salmon migration

Welfare Considerations

Spawning migration is one of the most physiologically demanding experiences in the animal kingdom. Salmon undergo dramatic metabolic transformations while navigating barriers, predators, water temperature extremes, and fishing pressure. Catch-and-release angling during spawning migration adds additional physiological burden that can be enough to prevent successful spawning in already stressed fish. Dam removal is the most impactful single intervention for both salmon welfare and population recovery, with multiple recent large-scale removals demonstrating dramatic recovery of salmon populations.

What You Can Do

Support dam removal projects that restore salmon migration routes
Advocate for mandatory catch-and-release restrictions during spawning migrations
Support riparian habitat restoration to reduce water temperature
Donate to organizations working on salmon habitat restoration
Reduce or eliminate angling for spawning salmon during critical migration windows