Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups: 2016 Annual Report

Message from the Director

"Look at all the fish! It's magical!"

As my three-year-old exclaimed over the returning salmon in the stream, I felt the wonder once again myself. And while I know that the returns are still low this year, I have also experienced the dedication of many people working hard so that this stream�"and streams like it across the state�"can have even more fish in the future.

This report marks another successful year of RFEGs working at the community level to protect salmon and their habitat. RFEGs completed over 100 projects that turn back the clock on habitat degradation.

Removing barrier culverts, restoring floodplains, and planting trees all make streams more suitable homes for salmon to return to. At the heart of this work are the dedicated volunteers. They clocked over 50,000 hours planting trees, removing weeds, and improving habitat for all wildlife.

We also reached nearly 60,000 people through education and outreach programs. Many were K-12 students who had the opportunity to get out of the classroom and learn science through hands-on experiences. These projects and programs are important because they bring local people together, encouraging them to work for restoration of their own watersheds. Give us a shout if you would like to be involved!

Thank you for your interest in�"and support of�"our work.

Colleen Thompson

Regional Fisheries Coalition Managing Director