In 1993, the State and western Washington Treaty Tribes published the first state-wide
comprehensive inventory of salmon and steelhead stocks. In total, SASSI identified 435
different stocks of salmon and steelhead, and the current status of each stock was reported.
For chum salmon, 72 stocks were described, 14 of which were located in the Coastal region.
A total of 14 separate stocks of chum salmon were identified in the Coastal region (see table
below). The general status of these stocks is one of robust health, with a majority of the
stocks (9 total) in the "healthy" category. Six stocks were of "unknown" status because of the
lack of abundance data. These stocks are small populations located in the streams north of
Gray's Harbor, and represent a small fraction of the region's chum salmon.
For additional information on Washington State chum salmon stocks and status and on newly instituted
protective measures see:
Coastal Chum Salmon SASSI Current Status and Stock Totals
Current Status of Stocks
Region
Healthy
Depressed
Critical
Extinct
Unknown
Total
North Coast
1
0
0
0
5
6
Grays Harbor
2
0
0
0
0
2
Willapa Bay
6
0
0
0
0
6
Totals
9
0
0
0
5
14
NMFS-ESA
In December of 1997, the National Marine Fisheries Service published a coast-wide chum
salmon status review. This was the first step in determining if any chum salmon population
groups were candidates for listing as "threatened" or "endangered" under the Endangered
Species Act. All chum salmon populations in the coastal streams of Oregon and Washington
were designated as a single Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU); the Pacific Coast ESU.
NMFS concluded that this ESU (including Coastal Washington chum populations) was not
presently at risk of extinction.
For additional information on the NMFS chum salmon species review, or on salmon and the Endangered
Species Act chum salmon stocks and status see:
