Pacific salmon are keystone species whose welfare is tied to entire watershed ecosystems. Their decline impairs welfare of bears, eagles, orcas, and countless other species that depend on them.
Pacific salmon welfare is ecosystem welfare. The collapse of salmon runs cascades through food webs affecting bears, orcas, eagles, and the forest ecosystems fertilized by salmon carcasses. Individual orcas suffering from nutritional deficiency due to salmon scarcity is a direct welfare consequence of salmon population decline. Dam removal, riparian restoration, and reduced fishing pressure represent the most impactful interventions for this ecologically connected welfare challenge.