About Us
The Resilient Salmon Initiative is a non-regulatory, non-partisan, public-private partnership that seeks to build connections to promote, align, and advance shared actions to support effective salmon stewardship.
Vision
Resilient, diverse, and sustainable salmon populations intertwined with vibrant ecosystems and human communities that rely on salmon across western North America.
Values
The following values will guide our decision-making:
- Honor sovereignty
- Respect multiple ways of knowing and build on that knowledge
- Be inclusive and transparent
- Be salmon-centered and action-oriented
Participants in the December 2023 Scoping Workshop
Creating the Resilient Salmon Initiative
In 2022, Long Live the Kings brought together a Core Team to support the development of a broader, regional initiative. A scoping workshop in December 2023 convened 70 knowledge holders, salmon recovery practitioners and leaders from across western North America.
In 2024 and 2025, building on the workshop and conversations with partners throughout western North America, the Core Team worked to develop a Strategic Plan with input from contributing experts on a Strategic Planning Committee (their guidance does not reflect the positions of their organizations).
Initiative Development Core Team
- Jen Bayer, PNAMP Coordinator, Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership
- Peggen Frank, Executive Director, Salmon Defense
- Ben Harrison, Environmental Scientist, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe
- Jason Hwang, Chief Program Officer and Vice President, Pacific Salmon Foundation
- Kerry Naish, Faculty, University of Washington
- Erik Neatherlin, Director, Washington Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office
- Lisa Seeb, Emeritus Faculty, University of Washington
- Jacques White, Chief Executive Officer, Long Live the Kings
Strategic Planning Committee
- Mike Edmondson, Administrator, Idaho Governor’s Office of Species Conservation
- John Field, Executive Secretary, Pacific Salmon Commission
- Sue Grant, State of the Salmon Program Head, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
- Elaine Harvey, Watershed Department Manager, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
- Rene Henery, California Science Director, Trout Unlimited
- Jason Hwang, Chief Program Officer and Vice President, Pacific Salmon Foundation
- Elizabeth MacDonald, Manger of Fisheries, Yukon First Nation Salmon Stewardship Alliance/Council of Yukon First Nations
- Erik Neatherlin, Director, Washington Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office
- Barry Thom, Executive Director, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission
- Jacques White, Chief Executive Officer, Long Live the Kings
“Salmon are in trouble, and so are the people and ecosystems that depend on them. To support sustainable salmon fishing for generations to come, Long Live the Kings is working with a group of partners to build the Resilient Salmon Initiative and create a collective response in terms of resources and action scaled to meet the growing challenges.”
Jacques White, Chief Executive Officer, Long Live the Kings
“Given the scope and scale of the challenges that salmon face across the Pacific Rim, we vitally need efforts like the Resilient Salmon Initiative to open up new conversations and expand upon regionwide partnerships and collaboration. A problem of this magnitude requires diverse interests and ideas at the table to make progress!”
Erik Neatherlin, Director, Washington State Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office