Fisheries

The Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains are widely known for their wild rivers and fisheries. In fact, the region supports the largest concentration of Wild and Scenic Rivers in the United States outside of Alaska, including the Eel River, the Klamath River, the Scott River, the Salmon River, the Smith River, the Illinois River, the Chetco River, the Rogue River and many others. Renowned for their wild canyons, white water rafting and anadromous fisheries, these rivers contains some of the highest water quality in the world in the Smith River and the Chetco River watersheds.

Historically, the rivers in this region supported simply enormous wild salmon and steelhead runs. In fact, the Klamath River was historically the third largest producer of salmon on the West Coast. Although these runs have been heavily impacted by logging, mining, road construction, water withdrawals, agricultural run-off, development and dams, the region still supports world-class fisheries including wild runs of steelhead, salmon, green sturgeon, lamprey and various species of sucker fish at the headwaters of the Klamath River.

Klamath Forest Alliance has long worked to protect these world-class fisheries and the spectacular rivers of the region. We work to oppose public land logging and road building projects that will impact watershed health, damaging water withdrawals, mining projects, and other activities that threaten the spectacular native fisheries of the region.