Why Wild |

Why Wild?

WhyWild is part of Trout Unlimited's Western Conservation Program with the purpose to engage the salmon marketplace in Trout Unlimited's wild salmon and steelhead conservation efforts in California, the Pacific Northwest, and Alaska. Through WhyWild, Trout Unlimited educates salmon consumers, chefs, retailers, seafood processors, fishermen, and others around the country about the values of wild salmon and why voting with your fork for wild salmon is a critical way of sustaining our wild salmon fisheries and ensuring that we really can have our salmon and eat it, too.

Salmon in the News

Mr President: Keep Wild Salmon on Our Plates!

Date: February 16, 2012

It is not often that a fish can define your life's work. Rarer still can the most powerful man on the earth, the President of the United States,...

Alaska salmon out of MSC is hot industry topic

Date: February 8, 2012

Alaska's wild salmon fishery, a major client of the Marine Stewardship Council's sustainability program, is bailing out of the program on Oct. 29......

Genetically modified salmon needs tougher FDA scrunity, groups say

Date: February 8, 2012

US consumer groups have petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to subject a genetically engineered version of the Atlantic salmon to a more...

Chef Spotlight

Wayne Johnson

Chef Wayne Johnson (formerly of Andaluca Restaurant in Seattle) just recently joined the team at one Seattle's favorite seafood restaurants, Ray's Boathouse. Chef Johnson has been a longtime champion of Bristol Bay salmon, one of the first chefs in Seattle to feature it on his menu during past Savor Bristol Bay weeks. Passionate about unique flavors inspired by international cuisine, Chef Johnson appreciates wild salmon as an important sustainable seafood source that is iconic to Pacific Northwest cuisine. Try Chef Johnson's Bristol Bay salmon cakes recipe, featured at the Seattle screening of Red Gold in October 2011.

Fishermen Spotlight

Matt Aboussie

Matt Aboussie has been bringing flash frozen, high quality Bristol Bay salmon home to Colorado for several years. In the summer, Matt and his crew operate a set net site on Ekuk Beach near Dillingham. After the fishing season Matt returns to Colorado, where his business Wild Alaska Salmon sells to customers who are interested in supporting a local fisherman who markets a sustainable product. Matt is committed to promoting sustainable seafood, in his words: "Bristol Bay salmon support me, and I do my best to support them through promoting sustainably caught seafood, and high quality Alaskan salmon".

Grower Spotlight

Martorana Family Winery

Martorana Family Winery has demonstrated its commitment to land and water stewardship and its enthusiasm for protecting and restoring high-quality habitat for salmon. Located in the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County, the Martorana Family practices organic farming and has undertaken a whole suite of restoration projects. Most recently, the vineyard made a dramatic change in its water management for frost protection. The project serves as a model for sustainable water use and will benefit endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead trout in the Russian River watershed. Find more about Martorana.

Stay Informed

Stay informed about what's happening in the salmon marketplace and ways you can help us protect and restore our wild salmon fisheries.

What's New

EPA conducting Watershed Assessment of Bristol Bay: In Febraury of 2011 the EPA announced that it would conduct a Watershed Assessment of Bristol Bay and review the potential impacts that large-scale mining could have on Bristol Bay's fisheries and communities. They plan to release their draft assessment in April of 2012. Stay tuned to the EPA's Bristol Bay homepage to get updates and find out how you can submit your comments.

Bristol Bay fishermen launch Bristol Bay Sockeye website: Check out the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association's new Bristol Bay Sockeye website, featuring information about Bristol Bay's salmon fishery, images from the region, fishermen profiles, fun recipe ideas, cooking tips, health information, and more.

Protecting our nation's Salmon Forest: As part of collaborative campaign with commercial fishing groups, Trout Unlimited recently released a proposal to protect some of the last best salmon watersheds left in the Tongass National Forest that remain unprotected from logging, mining, and other development. Learn more about the "Tongass 77" proposal and TU's efforts to protect these high value salmon watersheds in our nation's greatest Salmon Forest here.