A History of the Pacific Salmon (Salmon Country) [Oct 07, 2000] Busch, Robert

"I saw my first salmon run in 1971 in a small stream north of Juneau in Alaska. I'd read about these runs before, but nothing could have prepared me for the sight of a stream blushed pink by thousands of salmon struggling valiantly to reach the particular patch of gravel where they'd first begun their lives."

The annual migration of salmon is one of North America's greatest wildlife wonders, a sight that ranks as a must-see for the growing number of people starved for the sight of natural marvels in an increasingly high-tech world. Each year thousands of tourists crowd into British Columbia's Adams River valley to watch as the sockeye return to their spawning grounds.

But what was once a plentiful resource is now becoming an endangered species. The Pacific salmon industry is in trouble. For the past two years, the salmon crisis has been featured in the news as politicians, natives and fishers around the world fight over the rights to what's left of the richest fishing industry in North America. The increased attention has forced the government to pull up its socks to try and save what's left of the salmon industry. It remains to be seen if this will be a case of too little too late.

In Salmon Country, Robert H. Busch, a dedicated naturalist, has produced an intriguing account of the natural history of the Pacific salmon and the state of today's fisheries industry. Salmon Country examines the salmon's tragic decline due to factors such as overfishing, habitat loss, climate change, fisheries mismanagement, and a dozen other interconnected factors all of which relate to its present sad state. Salmon Country also features a full survey of salmon biology including topics such as:

• Salmon evolution
• Salmon habitat
• Salmon life cycle
• Eating habits
• Migration patterns (including Japan and Siberia)
• Conservation and management.

Salmon Country is a heartfelt testament to the natural beauty of the salmon and their significance to our world. Written by a dedicated naturalist, Robert H. Busch eloquently speaks against the mostly manmade dangers that threaten the future of the salmon industry today.

Robert H. Busch is the author of numerous magazine articles on natural history and six books: Wolf Songs, The Wolf Almanac, The Cougar Almanac, Gray Whales, Wandering Giants, Valley of the Grizzlies and Loons. He lives in salmon country in central British Columbia.