Salmon Resources

Cultural Connections and Economics

Salmon are and have always been an integral part of the human cultures in regions where they occur.  They continue to be a central figure in the lives and livelihoods of many of the tribes of Washington State, who are helping to lead the way in habitat restoration efforts to protect these vital animals.

Salmon are also important to the economics of our region.  They provide income through the direct sale of fish as well as through the sale of licenses and fees, guide services, lodging, dining, and other recreational fishing services.  Many people depend upon the salmon industry to earn a living.

Looking at salmon from cultural and economic perspectives can help your students better understand why we study these animals and their habitats.  The resources below can assist you in teaching these concepts to your students.

Resources for Elementary

  • Honoring the Salmon (K-3): This four-lesson resource introduces students to the cultural importance of salmon to Native American people.
  • One with the Watershed (K-5): This story-based curriculum was designed to connect students to the Salmon Homecoming Celebration that occurs each year on the Seattle waterfront.
  • Through Salmon Eyes (K-5): This video, produced in concert with the "One With The Watershed" curriculum, tells the traditional story of Salmon Woman and the promises made to get salmon to return to their rivers of origin.
  • Let’s Go Fishing (3-5): This is a Junior Ranger activity book with worksheets that cover a wide range of fishing-related topics.
  • How to Grow a Fish (3-5): This lesson plan and resources introduce students to Washington’s hatchery program, including why they were built and the role they play today.  This is a great resource for supplementing your field trip to a salmon hatchery!
  • Being Citizens of Washington: Salmon Recovery & the Boldt Decision (4): This curriculum helps students to understand the importance of salmon to native people of Washington and how the Boldt Decision has affected salmon recovery in our state.
  • Salmon and the River (4): This Oregon lesson plan explores the importance of salmon to Native Americans and how Native Americans are working to restore healthy salmon runs.

Resources for Secondary

  • On the Yukon River and The Spirit of Subsistence Living (6-12): While these short films were made in Alaska, they provides first-person testimony to the importance of salmon to Native American cultures.
  • Lummi First Salmon Ceremony (6-12): This webpage describes the reason for the revival of the First Salmon Ceremony in the Lummi Nation.
  • Resiliency Among the Salmon People (6-12): The video in this lesson was filmed in Alaska, but the themes of tradition and change are present throughout tribes on the West Coast of America and are relatable to students of any cultural background.
  • Tulalip Tribes: Saving Their Sacred Salmon (6-12): This website explores impacts on salmon and efforts the Tulalip are taking to offset those impacts.
  • People of the Salmon: Haida Tribe Defends Salmon with Science in Alaska (6-12): This article shares an example of how tribes are combining Traditional Ecological Knowledge with Western Science to save salmon.
  • Your Impact on Salmon/Fish – A Self-Assessment (6-12): This self-assessment gets students thinking about how their daily behaviors may be having an impact on salmon, and provides ideas for reducing impacts.
  • Shadow of the Salmon (8): This resource guide is designed to accompany the movie by the same name.  Section Three contains materials to help teach students about challenges facing Pacific salmon, and how we can help.
  • Why Do the Foods We Eat Matter? (9-12): This lesson explores why salmon are important to Native American people, how threats to salmon are a threat to Native cultures, and how Native people are helping to restore salmon populations.
  • Tribal Habitat Strategy (9-12): This report by the Northwest Treaty Tribes group describes their plans and efforts to recover salmon populations.
  • Safe, Sustainable Seafood (9-12): This website is an example of the continuing education resources available to people in the fishing industry.
  • NOAA: Salmon and Steelhead Fisheries on the West Coast (9-12): This is a short introduction to some of the regulatory agencies involved in fisheries on the West Coast.
  • The Fish Wars (9-12): This online lesson provides perspectives from Native American community members and their supporters, images, news footage, an interactive timeline, and other sources about an important campaign to secure the treaty rights and sovereignty of Native Nations of the Pacific Northwest.
  • Northwest Fisheries Science Center (9-12): This is the “about us” page for the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, the research branch of NOAA that provides information to help establish management policies.


Check out these Career Cards by Pacific Education Institute to see some of the different science jobs in Washington State associated with salmon:


Shellfish Resources

Shellfish are and have always been an integral part of human cultures in regions where they occur. They continue to be a central figure in the lives and livelihoods of many of the tribes of Washington State, who are helping to lead the way in habitat restoration efforts to protect these vital animals. Shellfish are also important to the economics of our region. They provide income through the direct sale of shellfish as well as through the sale of licenses and fees, lodging, dining, and other recreational services. Many people depend upon the shellfish industry to earn a living. Looking at shellfish from cultural and economic perspectives can help your students better understand why we study these animals and their habitats. The resources below can assist you in teaching these concepts to your students.

Resources for elementary

Resources for secondary

Career Cards

Check out these PEI Career Cards to see some of the different science jobs in Washington State associated with shellfish: