Vision
Wild Pacific Salmon, Steelhead and the waters they live in define the Pacific Northwest. Over the years, King County has undertaken major efforts to protect our salmon resources. Over $20 million has been invested over the last four years to acquire critical habitat. We have implemented new regulations to improve protection of our waterways, and have offered incentives to landowners so they will voluntarily protect critical habitat on their lands.

Our goal is to ensure long term protection of our salmon resources at not only sustainable, but also harvestable levels for today and tomorrow with the least economic impact possible. We want both the salmon and the region's economy to thrive.

Situation:
Unfortunately, despite our efforts, salmon stocks continue to decline. This is not only a threat to our quality of life, but can also cause economic impacts to sport and commercial fisheries and related industries. Because of the decline, it is likely that some of our salmon stocks will be listed as "threatened" by the federal government very soon. If King County does not act, we could see intervention by the federal government on all land use and permitting issues requested by county citizens.

Solution:
To protect our salmon resources, and minimize negative impacts to county citizens, King County is proposing to work collaboratively with key stakeholders to develop a plan to respond to this threat. The goals of the solution should include:

• Broad based, balanced, flexible and comprehensive approaches;
• Active involvement and responsibility of all governments, citizens and business entities, to the extent that their activities affect the environment that these species currently or historically have depended upon;
• Business, governments, citizens, interested groups and recognized Tribes as full partners in the planning and implementation of salmon and steelhead restoration efforts;
• Restoration strategies that complement and enhance continued efforts to balance growth, the environment and our vibrant economy, by building on existing regional partnerships, programs and authorities;
• Projects to restore wild salmon and steelhead that are prioritized and selected to provide the greatest level of enhancement for the least economic cost to businesses and taxpayers;
• Funding and expeditious implementation of current watershed, land use planning and other projects that substantively support the restoration of wild; and
• Restoration efforts managed at the local, watershed level, with all responsible parties contributing to funding and/or implementing solution.