Pinkish in color, with spots on all eight fins and back, a long, slender body with an average weight of 23 kg and a length of up to 76 cm, and a distinct rear fin called the adipose fin. They are saltwater fish that spawn in fresh water and travel more than 20,000 kilometers in the ocean at speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour. They can jump more than four meters to climb waterfalls and any obstacles they encounter in the water. Northwest salmon is a miraculous fish. However, Northwest salmon are now on the verge of protection under the Endangered Species Act due to their dramatic population decline in the northwest region of the United States. Their decline in numbers is causing serious problems for the surrounding ecosystem, those who rely on salmon as a food source, and the fishing industry. Humans contribute to all of this through overfishing, commercial or sport, and the construction of dams on large rivers. Then, in trying to solve this problem, fisheries, or fish farms, end up genetically modifying the fish and making them more vulnerable to predatory fish. Predatory fish not native to rivers in which salmon swim. Eating the salmon's food or, in most cases, eating the salmon itself. If all of these measures continue in full force, I predict that Northwest salmon will not naturally return to our American rivers over the next 50 years unless everyone is fully aware of their situation. the heart of the culture of those who live in the coastal regions of the Northwest. Many people in these areas held ceremonies each year to honor the first return of the salmon. Salmon fed Northern Indian tribes...... middle of paper ......he recommended cutting in half the number of salmon that could be caught off the northwest coast this 2014. The council said "[t]he small fishing restrictions in recent years have failed to contribute to the decline in salmon numbers. The only alternative to further reductions, many experts believe, could be a total ban on fishing salmon (PFM Council)." I would be completely on board with their idea if they wanted to. It may only take a few years to significantly increase their numbers and, in doing so, release many of their nutrients into the ecosystem. However, this idea will never fall through. This would bring down an entire fishing industry, primarily throughout Alaska, which relies heavily on salmon for its industry. If the law were only in effect for the Northwest, Atlantic salmon would begin to be overfished. It's hard to say what the real solution is