Oregon Coastal Coho Restoration and the Endangered Species Act

Pacific salmon define the place some call “Salmon Nation” (Wolf and Zuckerman 1999). Yet in 1991, in spite of decades-long restoration efforts, 101 out of 214 native, naturally spawning runs were at high risk of extinction ( Nehlson et al. 1991, 4–21). State officials, federal agencies, and business, community, and environmental leaders sought an alternative to listing salmon under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)—one focused on restoring salmon runs, not simply avoiding listing. This case study examines the Oregon Coastal Salmon Restoration Initiative (OCSRI), which later became the Oregon Plan, a state strategy for conserving salmon and watersheds throughout Oregon. ¹