The Osprey 100th Issue: Three decades of advocating for wild salmon and steelhead
Yvon Chouinard, founder of the outdoor clothing company Patagonia, legendary mountaineer, conservationist, and steelheader once said “science without activism is dead science.” That could have made a pretty darned good motto for The Osprey. With this edition, we celebrate our 100th issue of bringing vital information about dwindling populations of wild Pacific salmon and steelhead in service of their recovery and conservation.
While we cover a broad range of subjects, including wild fish policy and management plan analysis, opinion, news and even legal matters, our core focus has always been to bring the latest, cutting-edge wild fish science forward, to inform our audience of fish researchers and managers, professional conservationists, angler activists, and everyone else who cares about the future of wild salmon and steelhead.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
• WILD STEELHEAD FACING THE END
• THE REALITY OF BC’S COMMERCIAL SALMON FISHERIES CLOSURES
• COLUMBIA-SNAKE RIVER STEELHEAD COLLAPSE
• KLAMATH DAM REMOVAL EDGES TOWARD REALITY
• ARCHIE CREEK FIRE
Here is a brief sampling of some of our recently published important wild fish-related science stories: critical estuary habitat on the Fraser River, the Kamchatka Steelhead Project; impacts of salmon farms on forage fish that salmon eat; discovering the gene that created spring Chinook and summer steelhead; the resiliency and adaptability of steelhead that allows then to thrive in the Great Lakes region and; investigating indigenous fishing methods to reduce incidental by-catch of wild fish.
What makes these science articles in The Osprey special is that they written by the original researchers. Whenever I contact a scientist to invite them to contribute an article on their work, I am often surprised — and gratified — to learn that more often than not they are not only familiar with The Osprey but are among our regular readers, and view my invitation as a great opportunity to reach an important audience beyond the scientific community.
For the next 100 issues, The Osprey will continue its work to inform wild fish advocates about all things that affect them. But the core of our philosophy will always center on bringing the latest science to bear. While science can’t make decisions for us, good, up-to-date science can help us make the best decision for wild salmon and steelhead and their habitat, not just for the sake of themselves but for the sake of everything and everybody that relies on them — including us.