2025 SSMSP Symposium
The Salish Sea Marine Survival Project (SSMSP), initiated and coordinated by Long Live the Kings (LLTK) and the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF), was a seven-year collaborative, international research effort focused on identifying factors affecting early marine survival of Chinook and coho salmon and steelhead in the Salish Sea. As part of this effort involving more than 200 participants and over 60 entities, transboundary teams collaborated on more than 90 studies, culminating in the 2021 publication of a final synthesis report and related summary documents (https://marinesurvivalproject.com/research-findings/).
One of the most valuable but intangible outcomes of this effort was that it established a vibrant transboundary network whose regular communication fostered the success of this work. Between 2014 and 2020, participants met in person at least annually and communicated regularly. Recognizing the continued value of this transboundary network, LLTK and PSF have continued to prioritize opportunities to support transboundary collaboration toward implementing SSMSP findings and recommendations. This included hosting a 2023 Transboundary Workshop geared towards participants that had either been part of the technical teams or were leading research originating from the SSMSP. The workshop was well received and reinforced the appetite for and value of continuing to foster transboundary collaboration. In addition to more immediate workshop outcomes, the next gathering was planned for 2025 in British Columbia.
As it happened, the 2025 American Fisheries Society’s Washington-British Columbia chapter meeting was being held in Vancouver, B.C., and presented an ideal venue to host another SSMSP gathering. Together with organizers of the Salmon Ocean Ecology Meeting, we co-hosted a symposium titled Salmon Ocean Ecology: Cross-border connections in the Salish Sea & Beyond at the 2025 meeting of the Washington-British Columbia chapter of the American Fisheries Society (AFS). The symposium, held March 11-13, 2025, served as both the 2nd post-Salish Sea Marine Survival Project gathering and the 24th Salmon Ocean Ecology Meeting (SOEM). Given that many researchers with ties to the SSMSP are also part of the SOEM community, we felt this avenue for the workshop was an opportunity to come together and share knowledge about the current state of salmon marine ecosystems and focus on advances made in the science and implementation of SSMSP findings, as well as identifying opportunities for further research, action, and transboundary collaboration.
This workshop-style symposium featured themes on all aspects of salmon marine ecology, including growth; models, tools and data; climate and oceanography; food webs and predation; movement and migratory behavior; growth, stress, health and survival; and survival trends and forecasts. To access the 2025 Symposium Summary Report, click here.
Many thanks to the WA-BC AFS chapter leadership and organizers of this annual meeting for hosting us at this great event. Thanks also to PSF for providing funding to support the planning, execution, and collaboration opportunities at this symposium.